A high-ranking member within the Israeli government coalition has asserted that the chareidi factions are intensifying their insistence on securing the implementation of a comprehensive override clause. Recent discussions among coalition parties have revealed that the chareidi parties are resolute in their stance and show no willingness to make concessions on this matter, according to a report from Yisroel Hayom.
Within the chareidi parties, there exists a division between the Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism party, headed by Yitzchak Goldknopf, and the Sephardic Shas party, led by Aryeh Deri.
As outlined in the report, both Goldknopf and Deri are advocating for a broader override clause, a law that would grant the Knesset the authority to reintroduce any legislation that has been nullified by the Supreme Court. This proposal extends beyond efforts solely related to passing a Draft Law that establishes exemptions for chareidi students from mandatory IDF service.
The coalition insider remarked that “the Supreme Court seems to have a particular interest in matters connected to religion, and we consistently encounter setbacks there. Numerous instances, such as matters concerning the Western Wall, supermarket operations on Shabbos, conversion issues, kosher regulations, and more, stand as evidence. It’s reasonable to assume that even the issue of separate swimming hours for men and women at springs will ultimately reach the Supreme Court due to the attorney general’s demand for legislative backing, and the potential outcome can be easily predicted. While the Reasonableness Clause and the Judicial Selection Committee hold significance for the Likud, the override clause holds paramount importance for us.”
Presently, the chareidi parties have delivered an ultimatum, stating that unless the Draft Law is promptly ratified upon the Knesset’s return for its winter session, they will destabilize the government, compelling new elections. Prior iterations of the Draft Law have been invalidated by the Supreme Court due to concerns that the exemptions given to chareidi men from military service unfairly discriminate against other Israeli citizens with mandatory military obligations.
The most recent iteration of the Draft Law proposes a reduction in the age of exemption from IDF service, lowering it from 26 to 22 or 21. This alteration is designed to enable chareidi men to join the workforce at an earlier stage in their lives, offering an alternative to staying within yeshivas until the age of 26. The aim is to combat the high unemployment rates within the chareidi community.
{Matzav.com Israel}