Following Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's vote against a bill passed by the Knesset that exempts ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) from military service, Netanyahu's Chief of Staff called for Gallant's dismissal, referring to him as "rude." Tsachi Braverman, Netanyahu's Chief of Staff, stated, "Gallant is rude and must be dismissed," according to the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" on Tuesday. It is noteworthy that Gallant was the only member of the governing coalition (which holds 64 seats in the Knesset) to vote against the bill.
These statements follow the Knesset's vote last night in a session that favored a bill exempting Haredim from military service, with 63 members voting in favor out of 120, against 57 who opposed it. The Knesset can now continue from the point where legislation halted in 2022, with the bill set to be presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee for discussion, in preparation for approval in the second and third readings, according to "Walla."
Any legislation in the Knesset requires voting through three readings to become law. Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid commented on the vote to revive the draft law, criticizing the governing coalition. Lapid stated, "This is one of the worst moments of humiliation for the Israeli Knesset ever." He added, "In the midst of another day of violent fighting in Gaza, the corrupt government passes the law to evade military service and its refusal. It’s all politics. The values are zero."
The Knesset's vote came a day after Benny Gantz resigned due to a dispute over the strategic objectives of the Gaza war. Although Gantz had proposed the bill in 2022 under the previous government, he now opposes it, stating that it does not meet the new specifications needed by the army.
