Degel HaTorah Escalates Pressure on Coalition Over Daycare Subsidy Law
Degel HaTorah is intensifying pressure on the governing coalition, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party honor what it says were commitments to advance the “Maonot Law” (Daycare Subsidy Law) for approval.
In a statement, the party said: “There was a commitment from the Prime Minister and Likud to bring the Maonot Law for approval. We insist on this firmly and will not accept any delay or reversal.”
Following the announcement, Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni informed coalition partners that, due to lack of progress on the legislation, the party’s two representatives on the Knesset Finance Committee will vote against government budget transfers.
The “Maonot Law” refers to regulations governing government subsidies for daycare centers for children aged 0–3 in Israel. These subsidies significantly reduce childcare costs for families, especially in lower-income and Haredi households.
At the center of the political dispute is eligibility: recent proposals have sought to tighten conditions for receiving subsidies, particularly in cases where parents (mainly fathers in Charedi communities) are not working or are considered non-compliant with military draft requirements. Critics argue this links welfare benefits to IDF service status, while supporters say it is meant to encourage employment and equal burden-sharing.
The disagreement has become a recurring flashpoint between Charedi parties and the coalition over draft-related legislation and social benefits.
