Israel’s opposition parties said they would bring a motion to dissolve Parliament to a vote on Wednesday, presenting the most serious challenge yet to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government and raising the specter of early elections.

If the motion passes, it is unlikely that the government will fall immediately. The parliamentary process before any final vote could take months, giving the prime minister time to shore up his increasingly fractious governing coalition or set his own agenda for a return to the ballot box. But it would deal a heavy blow to his political credibility.

The opposition parties are exploiting a crisis within the governing coalition over the contentious, decades-old policy that exempts ultra-Orthodox men who are studying religion in seminaries from compulsory military service.

Mr. Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, the United Torah Judaism and Shas parties, have been locked in dispute with other members of the government over proposals to limit exemptions. The issue has taken on more urgency, and spurred growing public anger and scrutiny, since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, ignited Israel’s war in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is under intense pressure as a pivotal vote in the Knesset looms on Wednesday, with ultra-Orthodox parties threatening to support a preliminary motion to dissolve parliament unless legislation is passed to maintain military service exemptions for religious students.

The dispute — centering on one of Israel’s most divisive political issues — comes at a critical time for the government, as the war with Hamas enters its 21st month, further polarizing opinion on national service.

The two ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, parties in Netanyahu’s coalition — United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas — have warned they will back the dissolution motion if an agreement is not reached. While the motion’s passage would not immediately collapse the government (as four readings are required for a bill to become law), it would intensify the coalition’s instability and raise the specter of early elections.

“We are not happy about bringing down a rightwing government, but we have reached a kind of breaking point,” Shas spokesperson Asher Medina said in an interview with Israeli public radio. “If there is no last-minute solution, Shas will vote on Wednesday in favour of the dissolution of the Knesset.”

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the government is scrambling to delay the vote by at least a week. Coalition leaders have held multiple rounds of talks in recent days, and in a bid to buy time, Netanyahu’s bloc has flooded Wednesday’s Knesset agenda with dozens of other bills. His Likud party also controls the committee responsible for scheduling further readings of any dissolution bill, giving the prime minister tools to slow the process.

“If [Netanyahu] can get to the summer break, he will have three months of quiet to figure things out,” a source familiar with the matter told reporters, adding that officials are banking on parliamentary recess in July to temporarily defuse the crisis.

The controversy dates back to a 1948 agreement between Israel’s founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, and the ultra-Orthodox leadership, allowing 400 yeshiva (religious school) students to forgo military service. That number has since ballooned to over 80,000, stoking resentment among secular and non-Haredi Israelis, especially amid a protracted conflict that has seen widespread conscription.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled the exemption unconstitutional in 2017, and several governments have since failed to pass new legislation. With the court pressing for a resolution, the coalition is sharply divided between Haredi factions demanding the exemption’s preservation and right-wing lawmakers who argue it must be ended.

Analysts caution that it would be a political gamble for the Haredi parties to collapse the government, as polls suggest a new election could result in a coalition without them. Despite the threats, some believe the dissolution motion may ultimately be withdrawn if it lacks sufficient support — a failed vote would bar its reintroduction for six months.

Palestinians say Israeli fire kills 12 near aid sites, Israel says it fired warning shots

DEIR AL-BALAH: Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Sunday. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces.

The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.

In all, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry said. Israel’s military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day.

Eleven of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on some at a roundabout around a kilometer (half-mile) from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, in nearby Rafah.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at approaching “suspects” who ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting happened in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night.

Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area at around 6:40 a.m., but didn’t see any casualties.

A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel’s military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access. The GHF also said it was piloting direct delivery to a community north of Rafah.

Witnesses fear for their safety

Witnesses said the first shootings in southern Gaza took place at around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before crowds arrived.

Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.

Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them.

“We didn’t know how to escape,” he said. “This is trap for us, not aid.”

Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head.

“They said it was a safe area from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. … So why did they start shooting at us?” he said. “There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.”

The military announced on Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and the areas would be a closed military zone the rest of the time.

Children cried over their father’s body at the hospital.

“I can’t see you like this, Dad!” one girl said.

Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones

The new aid hubs are run by GHF, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups.

Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The UN denies there is systematic diversion. The UN says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned.

The UN system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its blockade of Gaza last month. UN officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting.

Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine, if Israel didn’t lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March.

Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.

Israel says it identified Hamas chief Mohammed Sinwar’s body

On Sunday, Israel’s military invited journalists into Khan Younis to show a tunnel under the European Hospital, saying they found the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the head of Hamas’ armed wing, there after he was killed last month. Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza independently since the war began.

“(Israeli forces) would prefer not to hit or target hospitals,” army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. Sinwar’s body was found in a room under the hospital’s emergency room, Defrin said.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead, but doesn’t say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 percent of its population.

How the easing of sanctions is aiding Syria’s path back into the Arab fold

LONDON: Syria’s slow return to the Arab fold is set to pick up pace. After Arab states cautiously reengaged following Bashar Assad’s fall in December, plans by the US and EU to lift sanctions have turned hesitation into opportunity.

As these barriers begin to ease, old allies are moving to renew ties — not only reviving diplomatic channels but also launching a high-stakes race to shape Syria’s postwar recovery and revival.

Leading the charge is Saudi Arabia, which has positioned itself as the key broker of Syria’s regional reintegration. Riyadh has hosted members of Syria’s new leadership and convened high-level meetings to coordinate Arab and international support for reconstruction.

A turning point came on May 14, when Saudi Arabia hosted a landmark meeting between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa — the first such encounter between American and Syrian leaders in more than 25 years.

The meeting, facilitated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, took place just one day after Trump’s surprise announcement that Washington would lift all sanctions on Syria.

“This shift in US policy came after President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio became convinced that Syria could spiral back into chaos and civil war — something regional allies did not want — if economic conditions remained frozen and sanctions continued to block governance,” Sameer Sabounji, policy officer and director of legal affairs at the Syrian American Council, told Arab News.

That decision has triggered a wave of normalization efforts across the region. With Saudi Arabia taking the lead, Arab states are ramping up economic, diplomatic and security cooperation, signaling a new phase in efforts to stabilize and rebuild the war-torn country.

“Arab states are invested in Syria’s recovery,” said Sabounji. “Which is why I think they helped ‘warm’ the Trump administration to Al-Sharaa and gave the US the confidence to be bold in Syria.”

Signs of this momentum also emerged on May 20, when Jordan and Syria signed an agreement to form a Higher Coordination Council, highlighting deepening bilateral ties. Talks focused on expanding energy cooperation and linking electric grids to support Syria’s reconstruction and transition.

The effort is multilayered. In April, Saudi Arabia announced plans to pay off Syria’s $15 million World Bank debt — a move intended to unlock international reconstruction grants and further integrate Syria into the region’s economic framework.

According to Sabounji, regional powers have strong incentives to push for sanctions relief. “Arab countries and Turkiye stand to gain immensely from Syria’s reconstruction, but sanctions were deterring serious investment,” he said.

He added that stronger regional trade routes and cross-border pipeline projects — connecting Gulf Cooperation Council countries to Iraq, Turkiye, the Mediterranean and even Azerbaijan — could boost regional economies, promote self-sufficiency and incentivize greater cooperation from Israel.

Echoing that view, Ghassan Ibrahim, founder of the Global Arab Network, likened sanctions relief to “the fall of the Berlin Wall” for Syrians.

“These restrictions were the wall separating Syria from the rest of the world,” he told Arab News. “Now, Syrians feel more open and optimistic — there’s a growing sense that Syria is a land of opportunity.”

This optimism is not only economic but also geopolitical. Ibrahim Al-Assil, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, highlighted Syria’s pivotal geography in broader regional ambitions.

“It’s because of the location of Syria and the potential of Syria in the region, and in the regional aspiration of the Saudis and the economic prosperity that Syria could contribute to this — Syria is at a very sensitive spot on the map,” he told CNN last month.

“Stabilizing Syria could help stabilize the Middle East.”

Al-Assil argued that a revitalized Syrian economy would directly benefit neighboring countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkiye by enabling refugee returns and unlocking cross-border development.

“Any improvement in the Syrian economy would be felt directly in Lebanon, would be felt directly in Jordan, and that would also open the doors for the Syrian refugees to go back to their countries, similar for Turkiye, also,” he said. “Syria connects Turkiye and Europe to Arabia, and the rest of the Middle East.”

Beyond economic considerations, security remains a critical concern. Syria’s location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa has long made it a key player in regional dynamics. But that same geography has also facilitated the spread of captagon, a powerful amphetamine that has flooded Gulf markets.

Syria’s southern border with Jordan — particularly the Nassib crossing — has become a key route for drug smuggling. Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, consider the captagon trade a serious threat to social stability and security. Allegations that the Assad regime used the drug trade as leverage to regain regional acceptance have only added urgency to normalization efforts.

“The Assad regime flooded the region with drugs like captagon, sparking addiction crises in the region, and causing chaos and instability, driving displacement, which added strain to the region,” said Sabounji.

A more stable Syria would help curb drug smuggling and reduce the flow of illegal weapons. “It would also help curb or even prevent a resurgence of Daesh,” said Sabounji. “The interim Syrian government’s efforts to disrupt and apprehend smuggling networks also helps promote border security and reduces the illegal flow of weapons.”

Though territorially defeated in 2019, Daesh remains active in Syria, with about 2,500 fighters operating primarily in the east and northeast. Persistent instability and a diminished foreign military presence have allowed the organization to regroup, especially in areas near the Euphrates River and major cities like Damascus.

FAST FACTS • Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 over Assad’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests. • It was readmitted in May 2023, signaling a regional push for normalization despite persistent challenges. • The isolated Assad regime relied on support from Russia and Iran to defy sanctions throughout the civil war.

Addressing this threat requires coordinated counterterrorism and stronger governance — something regional actors now see as achievable through reintegration rather than isolation.

Sabounji also highlighted another strategic dimension: countering Iranian influence. “Re-welcoming Syria into the Arab fold would counterbalance Iran’s position and influence in the region,” he said.

Ibrahim of the Global Arab Network agreed, suggesting that many regional powers view sanctions relief as a way to shift Syria away from reliance on Iran and, to a lesser extent, Russia — toward more moderate Arab and global partnerships.

“One of the key impacts of lifting sanctions is improved security — both inside Syria and across the region,” he said. “It’s also likely to influence the government’s behavior, encouraging it to choose more constructive partners.

“When Syria was under heavy sanctions, it had limited options and would engage with anyone willing to offer support. But now, with sanctions being lifted quickly, the government is being pushed to align itself with more moderate actors.”

Iran’s regional role has long been a point of contention. Its support for proxy groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis, pursuit of nuclear capabilities, and efforts to undermine state institutions through militias have alarmed both Arab and Western policymakers.

“Arab countries welcome the chance to build a more stable and prosperous Syria,” said Sabounji. “They think Al-Sharaa can accomplish that. He needs help, though, and sanctions relief is a prerequisite.”

He added that regional actors are exhausted by conflict and are eager for a future focused on growth and stability. “This is a bold and refreshing Middle East foreign policy,” said Sabounji. “The Trump administration is signaling that regional problems need regional solutions.”

That shift reflects a departure from traditional US interventionism. “Instead of dictating policy, the US listened to what Arab countries and Turkiye were saying to it. They want to stabilize Syria and want the US to lift sanctions to enable them to do that.”

And then there is the possibility of doing business. “I’m sure President Trump also did not want US companies to be held back by sanctions and not be able to compete for lucrative deals in Syria’s reconstruction,” said Sabounji.

The new policy recalibrates US-Arab relations and sends a message. “Israel is no longer the only voice Washington listens to in the region,” he said.

“The administration is clearly pushing for harmony in the region, but it is also not waiting on Israel anymore. It has decided to strike ahead with improving or cultivating closer relations with each country, such as Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iran, even if dialogue or normalization with Israel stalls.”

Syria’s path back to the fold began with a long exile. In November 2011, the Arab League suspended Syria in response to the Assad regime’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests.

Still, Syria remained central to Arab diplomacy. Over time, countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia shifted their approach, seeking to curb Iranian and Turkish sway.

These evolving dynamics paved the way for Syria’s return to the Arab League in 2023, after 12 years of isolation, despite lingering concerns about the Assad regime’s conduct.

Following Assad’s ouster in December 2024, Saudi Arabia quickly emerged as the lead Arab player in Syria’s reentry. In January 2025, Riyadh hosted Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, marking the first high-level meeting since the leadership change.

That same month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Damascus, highlighting support for Syria’s recovery. Then, in February, Al-Sharaa made his first official foreign trip to the Kingdom, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss deepening diplomatic and economic ties.

Other Gulf states have since followed suit, pledging support for Syria’s reconstruction. The international community is watching closely to see how the new government treats minorities and maintains stability.

After more than a decade of turmoil, Syria’s return to the Arab world may finally be within reach. But its success hinges on the careful balancing of regional interests, global engagement and a genuine commitment to rebuilding a fractured nation.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing hard to resolve a deadlock in his coalition over a new military conscription Bill. Photograph: Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP

Israel’s parliament is set to hold a preliminary vote on Wednesday to dissolve itself following a dispute over conscription, a first step that could lead to an early election, which polls show prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu would lose.

The vote could still be pulled at the last minute, and even if it goes against Mr Netanyahu, it would be the first of four needed to bring forward elections.

This would give Mr Netanyahu’s ruling coalition further time to resolve its worst political crisis yet and avoid a ballot, which would be Israel’s first since the eruption of the war with Hamas in Gaza.

Dissolving the Knesset would be a victory for Israel’s enemies, said Boaz Bismuth, an MP with Mr Netanyahu’s Likud party. “During war this is the last thing Israel needs,” he said.

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Mr Netanyahu has been pushing hard to resolve a deadlock in his coalition over a new military conscription bill, which has led to the present crisis.

Some religious parties in Mr Netanyahu’s coalition are seeking exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students from military service that is mandatory in Israel, while others want to scrap any such exemptions altogether.

The exemptions have been a hot issue in Israel for years but have become particularly contentious during the war in Gaza, as Israel has suffered its highest battlefield casualties in decades and its stretched military is in need of more troops.

Growing increasingly impatient with the political deadlock, ultra-Orthodox coalition factions have said they will vote with opposition parties in favour of dissolving the Knesset and bringing forward an election that is not due until late 2026.

“It’s more than ever urgent to replace Netanyahu’s government and specifically this toxic and harmful government,” said Merav Michaeli, from the opposition Labour party. “It’s urgent to end the war in Gaza and to bring back all the hostages. It’s urgent to start rebuilding and healing the state of Israel.”

Opposition parties are likely to withdraw the dissolution bill if Mr Netanyahu’s coalition resolves the crisis before the vote is held much later on Wednesday.

But even if it passes, the bill’s final approval requires three more votes, giving Mr Netanyahu’s coalition more time to come to agreements over conscription.

If passed, the dissolution bill will next go to parliament committee discussions in between readings, a legislation process which could take days, weeks or months. In this time, Mr Netanyahu could still reach agreements with the ultra-Orthodox parties, his key political allies, and shoot the bill down.

To pass the final reading, the bill would need an absolute majority of at least 61 votes in the 120-seat parliament, called the Knesset in Hebrew, and an election will have to be held within five months.

Successive polls have predicted that Mr Netanyahu’s coalition would lose in an election, with Israelis still reeling over the security failure of Palestinian militant group Hamas’ October 7th, 2023 attack and hostages still held in Gaza.

Hamas’ surprise attack led to Israel’s deadliest single day and shattered Netanyahu’s security credentials, with 1,200 people killed and 251 hostages taken into Gaza.

Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza has since killed almost 55,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run enclave, left much of the territory in ruins, and its more than two million population largely displaced and gripped by a humanitarian crisis.

Twenty months into the fighting, public support for the Gaza war has waned. More than 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat, adding to anger many Israelis feel over the ultra-Orthodox exemption demands even as the war drags on.

Ultra-Orthodox religious leaders, however, see full-time devotion to religious studies as sacrosanct and military service as a threat to the students’ strict religious lifestyle. – Reuters

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