Draft Crisis Erupts: Minister Goldknopf Submits Resignation to Netanyahu

In a dramatic move shaking Israel’s coalition politics, Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf submitted his resignation on Wednesday following deepening tensions over the long-stalled Haredi draft law.

Goldknopf, who heads the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, resigned at the direction of his spiritual leader, the Rebbe of Gur, who opposes recent agreements reached between other Haredi factions and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein. These understandings reportedly include personal sanctions on draft-aged Haredi men if enlistment targets are not met.

In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Goldknopf cited the government’s failure to uphold its commitment to pass a consensus draft law. “Since assuming office, I have worked with dedication to provide quality housing for all Israeli citizens, and especially the Haredi community,” he wrote. “But the repeated failure to fulfill promises on the draft law leaves me with no choice but to resign from the cabinet.”

He referenced coalition agreements signed on December 28, 2022, which stated the government would pass a draft law by the end of the Knesset's 2023 summer session, or no later than the passage of the 2024 budget. Despite a coordinated draft submitted with the Defense Ministry, Goldknopf said the government “has continuously delayed progress,” damaging trust between the Haredi parties and the coalition.

“This conduct undermines the foundations of our agreements and erodes the trust of the Haredi public,” he added, noting direct appeals had been made to both the prime minister and the defense minister.

Goldknopf’s resignation from the government does not extend to the Knesset. Under Israeli law, he will return to parliament as a full member after previously stepping down under the Norwegian Law. His return means MK Eliyahu Baruchi of Degel HaTorah will be forced to vacate his seat.

The resignation follows a rare internal division within the Haredi bloc. While Shas and Degel HaTorah reached a compromise with Edelstein late Tuesday night, the Gur movement — Israel’s largest Hasidic dynasty — rejected it outright. The deal reportedly included enforceable enlistment quotas and sanctions on individuals and institutions failing to meet recruitment goals.

Goldknopf’s departure could destabilize the coalition’s delicate balance and adds new pressure on Netanyahu, who is already facing friction within Likud and among right-wing partners over a range of issues, from the war in Gaza to judicial reforms and the budget.

The political fallout is only beginning.