The Knesset plans to fast-track a bill this week to extend a provision to raise the cutoff age for IDF reservists by three months in an effort to prevent a manpower crisis. According to the temporary provision, which is set to expire on June 30, regular soldiers must serve until age 41 instead of … Read more
Mayor of Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut and chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, Haim Bibas, was interviewed this past Tuesday on Anat Davidov’s program on 103FM radio. During the interview, Bibas explained why he opposes the controversial new ‘Rabbis Law’. “Currently, an authority that wants to appoint a rabbi requires the city council and … Read more
Shas chairman MK Arye Deri is reportedly furious with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the latter ended a political saga that began on Sunday by deciding to drop a controversial bill that Deri was pushing for, due to opposition to the bill from within the governing coalition. The announcement that the bill would be … Read more
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant voted against his party, coalition, and the revival of an old haredi draft bill late Monday night, which was approved by the majority of the Knesset despite his rebellion. Gallant was applauded but immediately left the Knesset chamber after his vote, which led to a final tally of 63-57 to … Read more
In Israel, “the day after” is a euphemism for the issue of who will lead and administer the people of Gaza after the war ends. It is an important question, one the Israeli government doggedly seeks to ignore. There is a far more important “day after” dilemma. Who will lead and administer the people … Read more
Israel’s High Court of Justice began on Sunday morning a hearing on the contentious issue of the long-standing exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from IDF service. The hearing could lead the court to give a final order to the state to begin drafting haredi men, which could have dramatic social and political ramifications. The two … Read more
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz expressed outrage at the government’s handling of efforts to approve a law regulating the conscription of Haredim on Monday, according to Israeli media. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to promote a version of a conscription law promoted by Gantz in the previous government in … Read more
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel of Shas is unlike many other Israeli politicians. For one thing, he doesn’t particularly want to be a politician, and doesn’t have higher political aspirations. If it were up to him, he would be far from the public eye, working on his doctorate in law or spending time with his … Read more
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed between meetings with government officials and coalition members on Tuesday to reach agreements concerning a new law on the conscription of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) young men as a deadline set by the High Court of Justice was set to end on Wednesday. Originally, the government was set to vote on … Read more
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced to his party, the Likud, that he would not renege on passing the ultra-Orthodox draft bill and that without the bill, the government would not remain in place, KAN Reshet B reported on Monday morning. Netanyahu’s announcement came in the wake of minister-without-portfolio and National Unity chair Benny Gantz’s … Read more
