Coalition Fails to Pass Reservist Draft Orders After Committee No-Show

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee was forced to cancel a planned vote on Wednesday to approve “Order 8” emergency call-up extensions for 430,000 IDF reservists, after the coalition failed to muster a majority.

The session, originally expected to pass without major hurdles, was adjourned indefinitely when several coalition members were absent. Among those missing were former committee chair MK Yuli Edelstein, who was recently removed from the post, and MK Michel Buskila from New Hope party. Coalition sources claimed Edelstein “was unavailable and did not answer calls.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid hailed the outcome, saying:

“We have prevented the coalition from expanding the burden on reservists by blocking the proposal to extend Order 8. The coalition once again lacks a majority. Israel is led by a dysfunctional, illegitimate minority government.”

The debate took place against the backdrop of ongoing political tensions over the government’s proposed draft law.

In a separate development, MK Adi Azulay, who entered parliament following the resignation of Idan Roll, was sworn in to the Knesset as a member of Yesh Atid under Lapid’s leadership.