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.
Latest News from Worthy News
Asbury Theological Seminary says it has been removed from The United Methodist Church’s list of approved schools for ordination candidates, ending an 80-year relationship after the evangelical institution declined to align with the denomination’s unbiblical positions on marriage and human sexuality.
Florida has permanently closed its temporary illegal immigrant holding center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” after all federal detainees were transferred to other facilities, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced June 25.
Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-backed framework agreement Friday in Washington, a move officials described as a first step toward ending months of conflict along Israel’s northern border and opening the door to a broader peace settlement.
U.S.-Iran peace negotiations faced new turbulence Thursday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned commercial vessels against using routes outside Tehran’s approved passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while Iranian officials also rejected U.S. claims that unfrozen funds would be used to buy American agricultural products.
Fulani herdsmen attacked a Christian village in Plateau state, Nigeria, early Monday, killing 28 Christians, including a pastor, after reportedly being guided toward the homes of church leaders, according to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that American forces killed a senior ISIS leader in a precision airstrike in northwest Syria, as the terror group seeks to exploit the country’s unstable security environment following years of war and political upheaval.
An incident at a beauty salon in Pakistan’s largest city has sparked renewed debate about discrimination against Christians after a customer reportedly refused to be served by a Christian employee because of her faith.