Israeli Government Delays Budget Vote Due to "Conscription Law"

SadaNews - The Israeli government postponed the first-reading vote on the state budget, which was scheduled for this evening, Monday, to Wednesday after tomorrow, at the request of the Haredi parties, due to the direct relationship between the budget law and the law exempting Haredim from military service, which must be passed before approving the budget.

Media sources reported that the Haredim's request was conveyed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leading to the decision to postpone the budget law vote.

Before the postponement, the coalition believed that the Haredi parties, "United Torah Judaism" and Shas, had agreed to vote on the first reading due to pressure and commitments from Netanyahu, and that the law exempting Haredim from conscription would be approved before the second and third readings of the budget vote.

The Knesset's legal adviser, Sagit Avik, informed Knesset members yesterday that the first reading of the budget law must occur within this week, as the law requires a two-month period between the first reading and the second and third readings, which must take place before the end of March; otherwise, the Knesset will automatically dissolve and early elections will be called.

In response to the postponement of the vote today, opposition leader Yair Lapid stated, "The reason the budget was not brought to a vote today is that the Haredim realized that the military service exemption law was not ratified. We will not allow it to be legislated."

Media reports quoted sources from the Haredi "Degel HaTorah" party today stating that there are "significant disagreements" regarding the exemption from conscription law, and that "if there are no agreements, we will not vote (on the budget), and if we do not vote, there will be no majority; it would be better for Netanyahu to intervene on this issue."