Recap:Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the hospital to cast a critical vote on a budget law that threatened the survival of his coalition.
The Context:
· Netanyahu managed to regain the role of Prime Minister in 2022 by hobbling together a razor thin coalition consisting of right-wing, ultra-Orthodox, and religious Zionist parties. The ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism focus on increased funding for yeshivas and exemptions from military service. The Religious Zionist Party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party seek expanded Jewish control of the West Bank and have constrained Netanyahu’s hand regarding winding down the war in Gaza and by extension, reaching a hostage deal. Each faction wields the power to sink the government and as a result, Netanyahu has spent the past two years putting out fires to stay in power.
· While recovering from a procedure to remove his prostate, Netanyahu defied medical advice to attend a Knesset session where a pivotal budget law vote was taking place. Ben Gvir had whipped together enough votes to reject the 2025 state budget, arguing that the tax reform diverts money away from raises for police officers.
· Netanyahu managed to convince Otzma Yehudit MK Almog Cohen to defy Ben Gvir and vote with the coalition. Likud MK Boaz Bismuth left the shiva for his late mother to cast his vote. The successful passage of the budget law by a one vote margin temporarily secured the coalition’s survival.
· Former defense minister Yoav Gallant was absent during the vote and later resigned from the Knesset, saying he felt the government’s effort to relieve the ultra-Orthodox from military enlistment as well as the governments push to see through judicial reform at any cost was a “clear and immediate danger” to the country.
Conversation Points:
· What does Netanyahu’s decision to leave the hospital say about the fragility of his coalition?
· How sustainable is a government made up of factions with such divergent priorities?
· Who truly holds the power in Netanyahu's coalition?
Notes:
· Netanyahu leaves hospital to vote on budget law amid coalition crisis, Times of Israel, December 31, 2024.
· PM Netanyahu casts decisive vote on budget from Knesset after hospitalization, i24 News, December 31, 2024.
· Israeli leader Netanyahu takes a break from hospitalization for crucial Knesset vote, Yahoo News, December 31, 2024.
· Netanyahu leaves hospital against doctor’s advice to vote on contentious bill, Al Arabiya, January 1, 2025.
· Gallant resigns from Knesset, denounces imminent bill to exempt Haredim from IDF, Times of Israel, January 1, 2025.
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