by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – A bill to dissolve the Knesset was narrowly defeated in a preliminary reading early Thursday morning, following a breakthrough agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties over military draft legislation. The motion was voted down 61-53, preserving the fragile governing coalition for now.
The opposition, which brought the proposal to a vote despite knowing key Haredi factions would likely oppose it, suffered a setback after intensive negotiations led by MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) produced a last-minute compromise.
“I am pleased to announce that after lengthy discussions, we have reached agreements on the principles that will form the basis of the Draft Law proposal,” Edelstein said in a statement. “This is historic news. We are on the way to a real correction in Israeli society and to strengthening the security of the State of Israel.”
The Draft Law, a long-contentious issue balancing national service requirements with religious exemptions for yeshiva students, was the central hurdle. After Edelstein’s meetings with Haredi leaders, United Torah Judaism (UTJ) sources said “positive progress” had been made, suggesting a full vote to dissolve the Knesset might be postponed.
Rabbi Dov Lando, the spiritual leader of UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction, ordered Haredi lawmakers to oppose the bill or delay their decision. A similar directive came from Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, currently abroad. Their intervention proved decisive, as most Degel HaTorah MKs ultimately voted against dissolution.
However, internal divisions persisted within the Haredi bloc. While Degel HaTorah held the line, the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction announced its intent to support the bill. Two of its MKs voted in favor, while one opposed it. A statement from the faction lamented the absence of a finalized draft bill: “As of this moment, no draft law or written proposal has been submitted. Therefore, we are acting in accordance with the clear directive of our revered rabbis and will support the proposal to dissolve the Knesset if it comes to a vote.”
In the wake of the vote, speculation swirled that Agudat Yisrael leader and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf may resign. The rest of the faction’s ministers and lawmakers are reportedly consulting with rabbinic authorities about next steps.
The failed vote is a significant reprieve for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, which has been under mounting pressure over the Draft Law dispute. Still, with the opposition blocked from filing another dissolution motion for six months, the fragile unity among Haredi parties may determine the coalition’s survival.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Israel expanded its military campaign against Hezbollah on Monday, striking more than 70 targets across Lebanon as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to increase pressure on the Iranian-backed terror group following a sharp rise in drone and rocket attacks on northern Israel.
A federal appeals court is weighing whether Kansas City can use its public accommodation ordinance to require Christian counselors to counsel gay married couples despite the counselors’ biblical convictions on marriage and sexuality.
Tens of thousands of evangelical Christians gathered in the Netherlands for one of Europe’s largest multi-day Christian events, with organizers and participants expressing hopes for spiritual revival in the nation and across Europe.
President Donald Trump pushed back Monday against sharp criticism from Republicans and former administration officials over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement, insisting that any final accord must prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon or it will not be signed.
President Donald Trump said Monday that countries involved in negotiations over Iran should be required to join the Abraham Accords, signaling that the White House is seeking to turn a possible Iran agreement into a wider regional realignment that includes normalization with Israel.
Tensions remained high in Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Sunday after at least tens of thousands of people demanded elections and rallied against what they view as the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vučić, with violence erupting after the protest and more than 20 people arrested.
Investigations were ongoing Sunday into the killing of three senior Kuki-Thadou Christian church leaders by unidentified gunmen in India’s northeastern Manipur State, Christian investigators told Worthy News.