[107805] Drama in the Knesset: PM Netanyahu arrived for the vote on the Basic Law: Torah Study

Political drama in the Knesset plenum: Voting on the Basic Law: Torah Study

During yesterday (July 1, 2026), the Knesset convened for a fateful vote on the "Basic Law: Torah Study." As reported by Amit Segal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the plenum to participate in the vote in person. Netanyahu's arrival received extensive coverage, with Michael Shemesh noting that the PM arrived shortly after an incident at Teddy Stadium, in order to speak with the Haredi MKs ahead of the vote.

The legislative procedure caused an uproar in the plenum. According to reports from ynet news, Member of Knesset Naama Lazimi was removed from the plenum during the discussions. At the same time, it was reported on Knesset Channel 99 that the vote was held in the first reading, with the discourse surrounding the law also encompassing Aryeh Deri's bill, which was attached to United Torah Judaism's Basic Law: Torah Study bill.

In a detailed report by Hershkovitz & Grobais - The Haredi Angle, it was clarified that there is complexity in the text of the law: while the original United Torah Judaism proposal did not include a comparison of yeshiva students to IDF soldiers, the version by Aryeh Deri that was attached to it does include this comparison, which led to both versions being brought to a vote. On the other hand, there is internal opposition within the coalition, with Hershkovitz & Grobais noting that MKs Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein voted against the law.

In the broader political arena, Daphna Liel emphasized that after the Arab MKs assisted the coalition in the preliminary reading vote, the "Muezzin Law" also came onto the agenda, which is expected to receive the support of the Yisrael Beiteinu faction.