Latest news with #YeshAtid
France 24
4 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
'The US should participate in the war against Iran,' Israel's Lapid says
11:32 From the show In an interview with FRANCE 24, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said the US "should participate" in the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. "President Trump is going to do what's best for the United States and I trust him to take the right measures," he said. Lapid, who is usually a staunch critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed strong support for his rival's decision to attack Iran. Lapid, who is leader of the opposition centrist Yesh Atid party, insisted that Israel"didn't declare war on Iran" and that "Iran declared war on Israel and the Jewish people decades ago". "They were rushing into nuclear capabilities and they couldn't have those because it's an existential threat to Israel and to the world," he claimed, pushing back on the assertion that Iran was not actually building a nuclear weapon. The Israeli opposition leader added that the Iranian regime was "oppressing" its citizens, and "should have been removed years ago by the Iranians, by not the Israelis".
Jordan News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Israeli Opposition to Submit Knesset Dissolution Bill for Preliminary Vote Today - Jordan News
Israeli Opposition to Submit Knesset Dissolution Bill for Preliminary Vote Today Israel's opposition parties are set to submit a bill for the dissolution of the Knesset for a preliminary vote today, according to Israel's Channel 12. اضافة اعلان In a notable move, the ultra-Orthodox Shas party has also announced its intention to vote in favor of the proposed dissolution bill when it is brought before parliament today. Leading opposition parties, including Yesh Atid headed by Yair Lapid, and Yisrael Beiteinu led by former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, had earlier declared plans to submit various bills this week aimed at dissolving the Knesset. The opposition accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to push through legislation that would exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) from mandatory military service—an effort seen as catering to demands from his coalition partners, Shas and United Torah Judaism, to maintain the government's stability and avoid its collapse. The development comes amid rising tensions within the ultra-Orthodox political and religious leadership. On Wednesday, Haredi rabbis called for their parties to consider withdrawing from the government due to the stalemate surrounding legislation to formally exempt their followers from military conscription. According to Israeli media outlets Yedioth Ahronoth and Haaretz, a leading rabbi reportedly instructed one Haredi party to support the Knesset dissolution vote over the issue. The ultra-Orthodox community has been intensifying its protests against conscription following a June 25, 2024, Supreme Court ruling, which mandates the drafting of Haredim and bars state funding for religious institutions whose students refuse to serve. Top Haredi rabbis, whose statements are regarded as religious decrees, have vocally urged followers to resist military conscription—some even calling for the tearing up of draft notices. Haredim constitute approximately 13% of Israel's 10 million population. Many refuse military service on religious grounds, claiming that devoting their lives to Torah study is a spiritual form of national service. They argue that assimilation into secular military life threatens their religious identity and community integrity. For decades, most Haredi men have managed to avoid service by obtaining repeated deferrals on the basis of religious studies, until reaching the current exemption age of 26. – (Agencies)
Al Manar
04-06-2025
- Business
- Al Manar
Pressure Mounts on Netanyahu as Opposition Moves to Dissolve
A member of Israeli right-wing coalition threatened to quit the cabinet on Wednesday and support an opposition motion to dissolve Knesset tabled for next week, piling pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Latest opinion polls suggest that Netanyahu's coalition would lose power if an election was held today, with many voters unhappy over the continued war in Gaza. United Torah Judaism, one of two ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, said it would withdraw from the government unless it secured last-minute concessions formalizing an exemption for ultra-Orthodox men from military service. The opposition party Yesh Atid, led by former prime minister Yair Lapid, put forward a parliamentary vote for next week to topple the government. It would require the support of 61 out of the 120 members of the parliament to succeed. 'This Knesset (parliament) is finished. It has nowhere to go,' Lapid said. A spokesperson for United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf told Reuters the party would vote in favor of dissolving parliament unless exemption legislation was passed. With a week until the vote, Netanyahu and his allies still have time to negotiate over an issue that has dogged the coalition for months. A source close to the government said, on condition of anonymity, that negotiations within the coalition were continuing. Netanyahu's coalition of secular right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties holds an 8-seat majority in parliament. United Torah Judaism has 7 seats while its ally, Shas, the other ultra-Orthodox party, has 11. The coalition is sharply divided over whether young ultra-Orthodox men who are studying in religious seminaries should be exempt from mandatory military service. Failing to pass an exemption risks a walkout by ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, while approving it could trigger a protest exit by secular parties. Coalition member Ohad Tal of Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party criticized Goldknopf for threatening to trigger elections and called on the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker to resign. He urged others to negotiate a new arrangement but that a blanket exemption from military service could no longer stand. Former Knesset member Ofer Shelah said Netanyahu was likely betting the ultra-Orthodox lawmakers were bluffing, given the polls suggested they faced defeat in any early election. In March, ultra-Orthodox lawmakers threatened to bring down the government over the same issue, but time passed without any action. Resentment over the informal exemption given to religious seminary students is growing and lawmakers from the ruling coalition and opposition ranks say it is no longer tenable. Netanyahu won election in 2022 and does not have to return to the polls until 2026. Historically, few Israeli governments serve a full term. He has faced widespread criticism for failing to prevent the surprise October 2023 Hamas attack that killed roughly 1,200 settlers, and is facing growing calls from protesters and families of hostages still held in Gaza to end the war to secure their release. But some in his coalition say the war must continue until Hamas is eradicated. Political analysts say that the ultra-Orthodox lawmakers could simply quit the government to protest their failure to secure concessions, without toppling the ruling coalition.
Middle East Eye
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israeli opposition threatens to topple Netanyahu's government
Israel's opposition party Yesh Atid, led by former prime minister Yair Lapid, is moving to vote to topple the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week. On Wednesday, a member of Israel's right-wing coalition threatened to quit the cabinet and support that vote unless an exemption was passed by lawmakers for ultra-Orthodox men not to enlist in the military. United Torah Judaism, which is one of two ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, said it would withdraw from the government unless there were concessions on the matter of men from religious seminaries.
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-06-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
What Might Happen in Israel's Parliamentary Dissolution Vote?
Opposition party Yesh Atid has submitted a vote to dissolve the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, for June 11, amid rising tensions in the ruling right-wing coalition. Here are some key facts about the Knesset, the procedure for a dissolution vote, which would lead to an election, and possible scenarios. KNESSET COMPOSITION Total seats: 120 Simple majority needed to pass the vote: 61 Current government majority: 8 seats LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE The Yesh Atid motion faces four votes with an absolute majority of the Knesset required in the final stretch to become law, thereby bringing a premature end to the legislature and triggering an election, which must be held within five months of the motion passing. In practice, if the initial vote passes, the subsequent stages could occur all the same day or take months. OPPOSITION STRATEGY A bill to dissolve parliament will only be brought to a vote if Yesh Atid is confident of securing a majority. If not, it can withdraw the motion anytime before June 11, preventing a vote. ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS Ultra-Orthodox coalition parties could decide to leave the government to protest at its failure to put forward a law granting exemption from military service to ultra-Orthodox men. At the same time, they might refuse to vote for dissolution of parliament, allowing a minority government to continue. COALITION NUMBERS The coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a majority of around 68 seats in parliament, though its size has fluctuated due to internal political shifts. The two coalition ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, hold 18 seats collectively. If they united with the opposition, they would have enough votes to dissolve parliament and trigger early elections a year ahead of schedule.
