The Religious Zionism Party announced late Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud on political plans for a final coalition deal, just before the latter said he had managed to assemble a government before midnight.
Netanyahu has also reportedly struck deals with two other parties on a number of issues, including vetoing some legislation targeting far-right Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir, who is set to head the new national security ministry in the next government.
After telling President Isaac Herzog that he has formed a government, Netanyahu must finalize agreements with the other factions in his right-wing religious bloc and finalize the prospective governing coalition by June 2.
According to a statement by Religious Zionism, the far-right party agreed with the Likud to pass a quasi-constitutional law declaring that “the study of the Torah is a fundamental principle in the heritage of the Jewish people.”
Religious Zionism gave no further details on the proposed law, which some of Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox partners have backed as part of an effort to formalize exemptions from conscription for yeshiva students.
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The Religious Zionism statement said it had also reached an agreement with the Likud to push ahead with a “significant and historic reform” of the legal system, an apparent indication of the party’s support for controversial measures that severely limit judicial oversight and the would give politicians greater control over the appointment of judges.
Illustrative: A Supreme Court hearing at the Jerusalem Supreme Court, October 20, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
The party said other points of the agreement included amending the return law due to “the difficulties and loopholes created by the grandchild clause”. Religious Zionism and other allied parties in Netanyahu’s bloc have advocated removing the clause allowing anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent to obtain Israeli citizenship so long as they do not practice any other religion. After criticizing the proposed change, Netanyahu said earlier this month he “doubts” the law will be changed, but didn’t specifically rule out the possibility.
In addition, Religious Zionism said it had reached agreements with the Likud to appoint a national religious chief rabbi; legalization of illegal posts in the West Bank; plotting to “Judaize” the Galilee and Negev; and the budgeting of hundreds of millions of shekels for “strengthening Jewish identity” among others.
There was no comment from the Likud on the agreements with religious Zionism.
Meanwhile, Hebrew media reports said Netanyahu had agreed to appoint Ben Gvir as deputy chairman of the Committee of Ministers for Legislation after they met for coalition talks on Wednesday night.
There was no confirmation of the reports that the Otzma Yehudit leader would receive a partial veto of the proposed legislation without further elaboration.
Otzma Yehudit party leader Itamar Ben Gvir attends a special committee of the Knesset on December 18, 2022 to discuss his proposed changes to the Police Ordinance. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
According to Channel 13 news, Netanyahu has also agreed with the United Torah Judaism parties to increase budgets for ultra-Orthodox educational institutions so that they receive the same funding as other schools.
The network said that unlike other schools, Haredi schools receive the funds without oversight and are not required to teach core subjects such as English and math.
In addition to the Likud, religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit and UTJ, Netanyahu’s bloc also includes the single-seat far-right Noam faction and the ultra-Orthodox Shas, with whom the new prime minister has not yet reached definitive agreements.
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