Haredi parties boycott coalition votes over stalled daycare subsidy bill

Shas and United Torah Judaism told the coalition whip on Monday that they will not support government legislation in the Knesset plenum, escalating a dispute over the so-called daycare bill.

In a joint statement, the two ultra-Orthodox parties said they informed the whip that because the bill was not put on the agenda, “we will not vote today in favor of coalition legislation in the Knesset plenum.” The move was described as a direct protest against the coalition leadership’s decision not to advance the measure.

The bill is intended to bypass a Supreme Court ruling and the attorney general’s directive that canceled daycare subsidies for families of yeshiva students who are obliged to enlist but do not serve. The Haredi parties view the legislation as urgent and a red line, saying the loss of subsidies is causing severe economic harm to thousands of families in their community.

The voting boycott leaves the government at a disadvantage in the plenum. Without the votes of Haredi lawmakers, the coalition lacks a majority and cannot pass legislation. Attention is now on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as leaders seek a compromise that would prevent the Knesset from being paralyzed.