Israeli Opposition’s Bid to Dissolve Parliament Fails Amid Heated Debate Over Mandatory Military Service
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing, deeply divided coalition has survived a motion by the opposition to dissolve Israel’s parliament (Knesset), following a controversial agreement among ultra-Orthodox coalition parties regarding mandatory military service.
In a pre-dawn vote on Thursday, the 120-seat Knesset rejected the bill, with 61 lawmakers voting against and 53 in favor. Had the motion passed, it would have marked the first step toward early elections.
Yuli Edelstein, chair of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said in a statement:
“After lengthy discussions, I’m pleased to announce that we’ve agreed on the principles that will form the basis of a draft law.”
The motion, introduced by opposition parties, aimed to force new elections with the help of ultra-Orthodox parties, who were angered by Netanyahu’s plans to include religious seminary students in mandatory military service.
Ahead of the vote, opposition Labor Party MP Merav Michaeli declared:
“It is more urgent than ever to remove Netanyahu and this toxic and harmful government.”
While the opposition is mainly composed of centrist and left-wing factions, ultra-Orthodox parties in Netanyahu’s coalition — Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) — had earlier threatened to support the motion due to disagreements over the military draft issue.
Military service is compulsory in Israel, but since the country’s founding, an exemption has been effectively granted to those fully engaged in religious study. However, with the ongoing Gaza military operations, the demand for more soldiers has reignited efforts to revoke this exemption.
Netanyahu is also under pressure from within his own Likud party to recruit more ultra-Orthodox youth and punish draft dodgers, a move that Shas Party considers a “red line,” as they seek permanent exemption for their constituents.
Formed in December 2022, Netanyahu’s coalition is considered one of the most right-wing in Israel’s history.
Ahead of the vote, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned that toppling the government during wartime would be an “existential threat” to Israel’s future.
“History will not forgive those who push Israel into elections during war,” Smotrich said in parliament.
He added that integrating ultra-Orthodox men into the military is a “national and security necessity.”
Israeli media reported on Thursday morning that most ultra-Orthodox lawmakers ultimately chose not to support the motion to dissolve parliament. With this failed vote, opposition parties must now wait six months before submitting a similar bill again.
