The first year since the October 7 massacre, the governing coalition largely refrained from controversial legislation, but the upcoming winter session, which begins on Monday, will mark the end of this trend. The most important bill likely to reach the Knesset floor during the winter session is the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) IDF draft bill. The … Read more
A Knesset Education Committee meeting erupted on Wednesday after a representative of an anti-LGBT organization called LGBT organizations a “cult” and accused “progressive education” of advocating for “mutilating” organs according to students’ wishes. The subject of the committee meeting was the Education Ministry’s use of funds earmarked for activities in schools to promote tolerance … Read more
Some 27 ministers and Members of Knesset (MKs) from Israel’s coalition called in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the national security cabinet on Wednesday to adopt a plan to transfer all civilians in northern Gaza to its south in order to “cleanse” the territory and defeat the remaining Hamas terrorists. The … Read more
The Finance Committee began on Monday to prepare for its second and third reading of a bill proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to expand government spending by approximately NIS 3.4 billion. Smotrich himself attended the meeting and presented the bill. It covers a number of war-related issues, including funding for evacuees and released … Read more
An NIS 3.4 billion increase in the 2024 budget was approved by the government Sunday, after being advanced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The nearly 2.7 billion of the funding is primarily for extended housing grants and other social services grants for evacuees from the North through the end of the year. It also … Read more
The Israel Police and those who are responsible for it “totally failed” in preventing a scenario in which Arab Israelis would take part in the Iranian threat to “conquer” Israel, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a speech at a joint conference of Mekor Rishon and the Jerusalem College of Technology called “Security … Read more
Israel’s Knesset (parliament) officially began its spring recess today (Sunday) and will reconvene on May 19 following Israel’s Independence Day. While it is not uncommon for parliaments to hold monthslong recesses, Members of the Knesset from the opposition criticized the coalition for its refusal to cancel the recess during wartime, and also considering the … Read more
The Knesset on Tuesday held a special conference to mark International Women’s Day, under the title “Women’s Contributions in the Swords of Iron War.” Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana (Likud) said at the conference, held under the auspices of the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality, that he expects the … Read more
The ministerial Cost of Living Committee, chaired by Economy Minister Nir Barkat, approved a new reform that would allow Israel to import any product marketed in the European Union on Thursday. This move is expected to dramatically reduce the cost of living in Israel and create a structural change in the Israeli market. According … Read more
A plan to hold a largely declaratory vote in Israel’s parliament (the Knesset) against international unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state was canceled on Monday after the opposition party Yisrael Beytenu proposed a more hawkish declaration to oppose Palestinian statehood under any condition. The cancellation was an indication of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s sensitivity … Read more
