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Sam Sokol

Sam Sokol

The Times of Israel

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Haim Katz tapped to take over all 3 of Otzma Yehudit’s ministerial portfolios

Haim Katz tapped to take over all 3 of Otzma Yehudit’s ministerial portfolios

‘Even the most diligent minister in the world cannot invest effort in four ministries at the same time,’ protests Opposition Leader Yair...

thursday 8

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Deputy AG: Proposed draft law doesn’t meet IDF’s needs, contravenes High Court ruling

Deputy AG: Proposed draft law doesn’t meet IDF’s needs, contravenes High Court ruling

Katz threatens to tank enlistment bill unless it ensures the preservation of the ‘Torah world,’ the network of full-time yeshivas that...

thursday 30

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Netanyahu said planning to hand over all 3 Otzma Yehudit portfolios to Haim Katz

Netanyahu said planning to hand over all 3 Otzma Yehudit portfolios to Haim Katz

Prime minister ‘is once again choosing petty politics that endangers lives,’ says Yesh Atid, calling to close two of the three available...

thursday 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Coalition votes down legislation on state Oct. 7 probe, annexation of Jordan Valley

Coalition votes down legislation on state Oct. 7 probe, annexation of Jordan Valley

Ministers express support in principle for annexing part of West Bank but say the process must involve US, and call opposition bill supported by Otzma...

22.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

After IDF chief resigns, opposition MKs suggest Netanyahu should be next

After IDF chief resigns, opposition MKs suggest Netanyahu should be next

Coalition, opposition welcome Halevi’s departure, thank him for taking responsibility for Oct. 7 failures; Smotrich, Ben Gvir hope replacement...

21.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

After 2024 row over Gaza one-sidedness, Berlin festival to show Israeli hostage film

After 2024 row over Gaza one-sidedness, Berlin festival to show Israeli hostage film

Documentary ‘A Letter to David’ by director Tom Shoval recalls his friendship with Hamas captive David Cunio; organizers say Arab...

21.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Edelstein signs declaration calling for mass draft of Haredim, sanctions for dodgers

Edelstein signs declaration calling for mass draft of Haredim, sanctions for dodgers

‘What do you want, 100,000 people in prison?’ Defense Minister Katz asks critics, defending his proposal to only induct half of eligible...

21.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Knesset passes law banning denial of October 7 massacre

Knesset passes law banning denial of October 7 massacre

Modeled after 1986 law prohibiting Holocaust denial, legislation mandates prison sentences of five years for denying the atrocities ‘with the...

21.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

His far-right party now in the opposition, rebel MK Almog Cohen is in political limbo

His far-right party now in the opposition, rebel MK Almog Cohen is in political limbo

Freshman lawmaker declines to resign with rest of his Otzma Yehudit faction, but won’t say if he considers himself part of Prime Minister Benjamin...

21.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

With Otzma Yehudit out of government, Netanyahu set to appoint replacement ministers

With Otzma Yehudit out of government, Netanyahu set to appoint replacement ministers

Three ministerial positions, two committee chairmanships open up after Ben Gvir pulls far-right party out of coalition; Dichter being considered for...

20.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Lawmakers slam Arab MK for saying he’s ‘happy for release of hostages and prisoners’

Lawmakers slam Arab MK for saying he’s ‘happy for release of hostages and prisoners’

Likud minister: Ayman Odeh ‘belongs in prison, not in the Knesset’; Otzma Yehudit MK, who resigned from government Sunday, says he’ll gather...

20.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Otzma Yehudit exits coalition over Gaza deal, blasting it as ‘victory for terrorism’

Otzma Yehudit exits coalition over Gaza deal, blasting it as ‘victory for terrorism’

Chairman Ben Gvir tells Netanyahu he’s proud of party’s ‘significant achievements under your leadership’ but slams him for...

19.01.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Otzma Yehudit to quit coalition Sunday; Religious Zionism condemns deal but remains

Otzma Yehudit to quit coalition Sunday; Religious Zionism condemns deal but remains

Otzma leader Ben Gvir says PM offered to fire IDF chief of Staff and credit him for it, a claim Netanyahu says is a lie

19.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Ben Gvir says party to quit government if cabinet approves hostage-ceasefire deal

Ben Gvir says party to quit government if cabinet approves hostage-ceasefire deal

‘Reckless deal’ will lead to ‘the release of hundreds of murderous terrorists’ and ‘effectively erase the achievements of the war,’ warns...

17.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Panel head Edelstein rejects Katz plan for gradual increase in Haredi conscription

Panel head Edelstein rejects Katz plan for gradual increase in Haredi conscription

‘The committee I chair will only issue a law for recruitment in high numbers, with a corresponding increase in the scope of recruitment and...

16.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Religious Zionism says will quit coalition if no return to war after deal’s 1st phase

Religious Zionism says will quit coalition if no return to war after deal’s 1st phase

Smotrich’s far-right party said to demand up-front guarantees from PM; MK Sukkot: ‘In all likelihood, we will resign from the...

16.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

After yearlong strife, Knesset passes Shas’s controversial ‘Rabbis Law’

After yearlong strife, Knesset passes Shas’s controversial ‘Rabbis Law’

New law on funding salaries of religious officials ‘promotes the politicization of the rabbinate,’ warns Rabbi David Stav of the liberal...

16.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Criticizing own party, Likud MK blocks bill to shutter public broadcaster

Criticizing own party, Likud MK blocks bill to shutter public broadcaster

‘Public broadcasting is needed in Israel,’ David Bitan declares, criticizing ‘those in Likud who are causing damage to the party for the sake of...

16.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Herzog urges cabinet to support Gaza deal, as Smotrich threatens to bolt coalition

Herzog urges cabinet to support Gaza deal, as Smotrich threatens to bolt coalition

Various key coalition members back accord, but finance minister denounces ‘dangerous deal,’ conditions continued membership in government on full...

16.01.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

High Court orders state to clarify plans to draft Haredim, penalize dodgers

High Court orders state to clarify plans to draft Haredim, penalize dodgers

Instruction comes only days before Defense Minister Katz is slated to present his proposed enlistment plan to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense...

12.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Gantz criticizes Levin-Sa’ar judicial reform proposal, but offers negotiations

Gantz criticizes Levin-Sa’ar judicial reform proposal, but offers negotiations

National Unity head says discussions can be held if justice minister enables long-delayed appointment of Supreme Court chief, shelves what he says are...

12.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

French mayor scraps recycling ads showing Iran’s Khamenei

French mayor scraps recycling ads showing Iran’s Khamenei

Tehran had blasted ‘offensive’ poster of supreme leader alongside Putin and North Korea’s Kim, under the slogan ‘don’t forget to sort the...

10.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Katz to present ultra-Orthodox enlistment proposal at key Knesset committee next week

Katz to present ultra-Orthodox enlistment proposal at key Knesset committee next week

Opposition member of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee accuses defense minister of seeking to advance ‘evasion law that will please the Haredim...

10.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Sanctions on draft dodgers need to be strengthened, top officer tells lawmakers

Sanctions on draft dodgers need to be strengthened, top officer tells lawmakers

The IDF’s capacity to absorb ultra-Orthodox recruits is set to increase dramatically in the coming years, Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb, head of the IDF...

07.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Netanyahu appoints Roi Kahlon acting civil service commissioner in defiance of AG

Prime Minister’s Office praises new commissioner’s ‘extensive experience in senior management,’ dismisses claims he is unqualified for the...

05.01.2025 5

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Coalition pulls Otzma Yehudit bills from Knesset agenda over its legislative revolt

Coalition whip says legislation by the party’s ‘members who voted against coalition discipline will not receive the coalition’s support and will...

05.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Ben Gvir apologizes to Netanyahu, Bismuth for forcing them to attend Knesset vote

Far-right minister says he ‘did some soul-searching,’ was wrong to compel PM to rush from hospital after surgery, Likud MK to leave shiva; also...

05.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Opposition up in arms over budget’s 11th-hour transfer of millions to Haredi education

The Yesh Atid party is mulling legal action after the Knesset Finance Committee approved budget transfers worth hundreds of millions of shekels to...

03.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Gallant resigns from Knesset, denounces imminent bill to exempt Haredim from IDF

Less than two months after being dismissed as defense minister, MK Yoav Gallant resigned from the Knesset on Wednesday evening, attacking the...

02.01.2025 6

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

PM leaves hospital to cast decisive vote on a budget law, thwarting Ben Gvir revolt

Knesset lawmakers passed a critical budget-related bill into law by the thinnest of margins on Tuesday evening, after Prime Minister Benjamin...

01.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

In rare cross-aisle cooperation, MKs back bill to penalize ministers who snub oversight

National politics in the Jewish state has become increasingly polarized in recent years, with a majority of Israelis expressing pessimism about the...

31.12.2024 2

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Coalition factions threaten to vote against key budget bill over cuts, Haredi draft

The far-right Otzma Yehudit and ultra-Orthodox Agudat Yisrael parties threatened Monday to oppose a key budget bill, demanding that the coalition...

31.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Haredi MK says he opposes IDF service because Orthodox soldiers ‘leave religion’ in the army

United Torah Judaism MK Yitzhak Pindrus caused an uproar on Monday after saying that he cannot support mandatory military service for...

31.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Sa’ar said set to rejoin Likud in coming days, bolstering Netanyahu

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, the leader of the coalition’s New Hope party, is set to return to the Likud, years after quitting the party over...

30.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

‘Send her home’: At cabinet meeting, ministers double down on calls to fire AG

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s absence from a cabinet meeting on Sunday morning sparked fresh calls for her dismissal by ministers in...

29.12.2024 6

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Report: Ben Gvir tried to prevent demolition of illegally constructed Haredi synagogues

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attempted to lean on the head of a government unit that enforces building regulations in order to...

27.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Smotrich pushes to withdraw funding from Tel Aviv Cinemateque over ‘extremist’ films

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is seeking to kick off a process of withdrawing government funding from the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, claiming it...

27.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Otzma Yehudit again votes against budget-related bill, which passes anyway

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party on Tuesday again voted against legislation backed by the coalition. The budget-...

25.12.2024 8

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

MK threatens that judges ‘playing hardball’ will lead to resumption of judicial overhaul

The government’s decision on whether to revive its frozen efforts to overhaul the judiciary depends largely on the conduct of the Supreme Court...

21.12.2024 7

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Police, IDF absent from Knesset hearing on far-right attacks on detention facilities

Representatives of the Israel Police and Israel Defense Forces failed to show up at a hearing on Tuesday at the Knesset Constitution, Law and...

18.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Attorney general to be summoned before cabinet to defend record – report

In light of growing calls in the coalition for her termination, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara will reportedly be summoned to a hearing before...

18.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Katz envisions half of Haredi men eventually enlisting while rest stay in ‘Torah world’

While the lack of ultra-Orthodox Israelis in the security services causes harm to the state, the “Torah world” of yeshivas is also an important...

17.12.2024 8

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Netanyahu allies look to marshal support for ousting AG and reviving judicial overhaul

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior coalition allies gathered Sunday to discuss advancing a controversial push to fire Attorney General...

15.12.2024 5

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Levin threatens to revive divisive judicial overhaul: High Court ‘left us no choice’

Justice Minister Yariv Levin indicated plans to revive the government’s frozen judicial overhaul program on Saturday, posting a lengthy attack on...

15.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Poll: Israelis split on whether Netanyahu cannot function as needed during his trial

Israel Democracy Institute survey finds majority of Israelis against revival of judicial overhaul, resettling the Gaza Strip following the war

06.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Defeat of Knesset resolution on AG hints at limits of support for her ouster

Knesset efforts against Gali Baharav-Miara comes as Communications Minister Karhi works to mobilize cabinet to push through her ouster

06.12.2024 7

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Likud minister asserts that government has right to enact ‘regime change’ in Israel

In separate comments, Karhi suggests abolishing High Court, replacing it with body overseen by Knesset; ministerial panel backs firebrand...

25.11.2024 7

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Bill creating new intelligence oversight body passes preliminary Knesset reading

Legislation aims to create a devil’s advocate unit reporting to PM, in order to challenge consensus conclusions of other bodies and avoid October...

21.11.2024 3

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Ben Gvir accuses embattled AG of running fishing expedition against him

Gali Baharav-Miara dismisses far-right police minister’s claim she ordered a subordinate to ‘investigate and find something’ to charge him with

19.11.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol

Smotrich: Israel must vow to stay in northern Gaza forever unless hostages returned

Finance minister also rejects ‘surrender ‘agreement to end the war, weeks after calling for permanent settlements in Gaza; PM said to again...

19.11.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Sam Sokol