The ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties’ preelection push to pass a bundle of bills benefitting draft evaders has led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who has previously publicly supported exempting Haredim from military service — to consider pushing the coalition’s Knesset dissolution bill through its final two readings in the coming days, according to Hebrew press reports.

Over the weekend, Channel 12 reported that coalition officials have been pushing Netanyahu to dissolve the Knesset this week in order to block a number of Haredi initiatives — centered on exempting yeshiva students from enlistment and lifting sanctions on draft evaders — from advancing in the Knesset because widespread public opposition to the measures could damage the coalition.

According to the network, Netanyahu has not yet made up his mind on whether to push through the dissolution and hold elections on October 20 instead of October 27, which is the final date by which they must be held.

Most coalition party leaders support such a move given the intense public opposition to the bills, the report said.

The pressure is also likely related to Shas and UTJ’s ongoing legislative boycott, which has left the government unable to advance its own agenda — centered on splitting up the role of the attorney general, establishing a political commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and giving the government significant control over the media before the upcoming preelection Knesset recess.

Like Channel 12, the Maariv daily reported that elections are likely to........

© The Times of Israel