JERUSALEM(National Times)- With the Israeli parliament set to dissolve in the coming days, just four months before national elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is racing to pass a series of controversial bills, drawing fierce criticism from the opposition.
Seven bills are currently on the agenda of the Knesset, Israel’s 120-seat parliament, each a priority for parties in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
By striking these political bargains, Netanyahu hopes to shore up his alliances and head into the late October election from a position of strength, despite opinion polls suggesting he might struggle to return to office.
The veteran prime minister faces public anger over failures that led to Hamas’ unprecedented Oct 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the war in Gaza.
“While they’re busy with their coalition’s survival, we’re fighting for the country and for the interests of Israel’s citizens,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X.
The most controversial bill concerns military service exemptions for religious students. This longstanding demand of ultra-Orthodox parties has repeatedly included threats to bring down the government if constituents were denied exemptions.
The bill, approved in a preliminary reading in June, states that “the State of Israel shall recognise individuals who commit themselves to long-term Torah study as performing meaningful service for the benefit of the State and the Jewish people.”
For months, the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study has brought thousands of Israelis onto the streets and inflamed debate on political television programmes.
“The government is exploiting the final days of the Knesset’s session to pass laws against the army,” Gadi Eisenkot, former military chief and Netanyahu’s main rival in the upcoming election, wrote on X.
He argued that only his newly formed Yashar party would be capable of forming the next government.
According to Eisenkot, this legislative marathon is aimed solely at passing laws that would no longer be possible once he comes to power.
In exchange for supporting the military exemption bill, lawmakers from the two ultra-Orthodox parties are expected to back legislation proposed by Netanyahu’s Likud party.
This includes a broadcasting sector reform aimed at overhauling the regulatory framework governing television, radio and streaming platforms.
While supporters say it opens the market to competition, critics condemn the reform as an attempt to exert political control over the media, undermine the independence of news organisations and provide economic benefits to government-aligned outlets.
Another bill under consideration aims to reform the status of the state attorney general, who currently serves as the government’s legal adviser. Netanyahu’s Likud party seeks to weaken the position, currently held by vocal critic Gali Baharav-Miara, by stipulating that the legal adviser’s opinions would no longer be binding on the government.
The opposition accuses the government of trying to eliminate an independent check on its power and politicize criminal prosecutions.
Finally, at the urging of religious parties, the government seeks to repeal a reform introduced by the previous administration that ended the religious authority’s monopoly over issuing kosher certification.
Critics say the bill appears tailored to the demands of ultra-Orthodox parties, particularly Shas, to protect the religious institution’s interests at the expense of consumers. The original reform was expected to reduce costs for restaurant owners.
The Knesset is due to dissolve automatically July 15, marking the end of its summer session, with parliamentary elections scheduled for no later than Oct 27.
However, lawmakers can extend the session by up to 12 days to complete ongoing legislative proceedings, giving Netanyahu and his allies additional time to secure passage of the bills.
