Leading haredi rabbi calls to dissolve Knesset

Rabbi Dov Landau, a prominent leader of the Lithuanian haredi community, has instructed Members of Knesset from Degel HaTorah to back a bill calling for the dissolution of the Knesset. This move comes amid escalating tensions over the military draft law for yeshiva students.

The directive follows an unsuccessful meeting between Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and representatives from the haredi parties. Senior officials in United Torah Judaism described the meeting as a “complete failure,” while Edelstein’s office characterized it as “held in good spirits,” with further discussions planned.

According to party insiders, MK Moshe Gafni has been instructed to withdraw from the coalition and advocate for its immediate dissolution.

The Degel HaTorah party’s newspaper, Yated Ne’eman, reported that the haredi representatives continue to push for legislation exempting yeshiva students from military service. The publication emphasized that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership is being tested on whether he will fulfill his commitments to regularize the status of Torah scholars.

Meanwhile, sources close to Rabbi Meir Hirsch indicated that, following briefings from MKs about the meeting with Edelstein, there is a clear lack of progress on the draft issue. Consequently, Rabbi Hirsch is expected to instruct his followers to exit the coalition imminently.

In a related development, the opposition parties Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beyteinu plan to introduce a bill next week to dissolve the Knesset.