Israel’s Knesset Winter Session Amidst Ongoing Conflicts
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, convened for its winter session on Monday, facing the challenging backdrop of ongoing hostilities in Gaza and Lebanon. This comes on the heels of an Israeli airstrike on Iran that occurred on Saturday and amid rising tensions within Israeli society itself.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a coalition that controls the Knesset, comprising his right-wing Likud party, the largest in the coalition, alongside six smaller parties, including two from the far-right. As the winter session unfolds, several critical legislative issues are poised to shape the political landscape:
Key Legislative Agenda:
- Conscription Reform
In June, Israel’s Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling indicating there was no legal basis for the long-standing military exemption granted to ultra-Orthodox religious students. This ruling mandates that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, a decision that has sparked significant debate and controversy across the nation.
The exemption has historically polarized Israeli society, creating a divide between secular Jews and the ultra-Orthodox community. The latter argues that their religious studies are equally essential to national defense as military service. The intensity of this division has only escalated during the ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon, with critics contending that the exemption unfairly imposes the burden of military service on non-ultra-Orthodox Israelis.
Furthermore, the ruling has unveiled fractures within Netanyahu’s coalition, which relies heavily on the support of two ultra-Orthodox parties that staunchly oppose any move to abolish the exemption. This issue has also become a point of contention between Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who advocates for a more inclusive consensus on the matter. Notably, Gallant had voted against a draft bill concerning enlistment in June.
In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, lawmakers are expected to propose various bills aimed at enshrining the ruling into law. According to reports from Israeli media, the government is actively seeking a compromise to address this contentious issue. Yuli Edelstein, the chairman of the Knesset’s foreign affairs committee, has expressed his commitment on social media to pursuing a deal that would be acceptable to all parties involved.