Tel Aviv, June 12, 2025: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu narrowly survived a critical opposition-led attempt to dissolve the Knesset, after reaching a last-minute compromise with ultra-Orthodox parties in his coalition over a divisive military draft bill.
The motion to dissolve parliament, which would have paved the way for early elections, was defeated by a margin of 61 votes to 53 in the 120-member legislature — just enough to keep Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition intact and avert what could have been Israel’s sixth election in five years.
The failed vote grants Netanyahu a temporary reprieve from one of the deepest political crises of his tenure, as public dissatisfaction mounts over his handling of the war in Gaza and the widening rifts within his coalition.
The crisis was largely fueled by an impasse over proposed changes to Israel’s military draft law. At the heart of the dispute are demands by ultra-Orthodox parties to maintain long-standing exemptions from compulsory military service for yeshiva (seminary) students — a demand fiercely opposed by secular and centrist lawmakers.
“I am pleased to announce that after long discussions we have reached agreements on the principles on which the draft law will be based,” said Yuli Edelstein, chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, signaling a breakthrough.
The draft exemptions have long been a source of national contention but have gained new urgency during the ongoing Gaza conflict. Israel has endured its highest battlefield casualties in decades, putting unprecedented pressure on its conscription-based military to bolster its ranks.
The deadlock had pushed ultra-Orthodox factions to the brink, with some threatening to side with the opposition and vote in favor of dissolving the parliament — a move that would likely have triggered snap elections. Polls suggest Netanyahu’s popularity has declined sharply, raising the stakes for his government.
“It’s more urgent than ever to replace Netanyahu and this toxic, harmful government,” said Merav Michaeli, a leading opposition lawmaker from the Labour Party. “It’s urgent to end the war in Gaza, bring back all the hostages, and begin the national healing Israel so desperately needs.”
With the motion defeated, Netanyahu’s coalition now faces the formidable challenge of translating the new draft law principles into legislation capable of withstanding both parliamentary scrutiny and public pressure, as the nation remains embroiled in war and social division.
