Netanyahu's Coalition on the Brink as Haredi Rabbis Plot Next Move

Over a thousand Ultra Orthodox Jews protested outside the military prison, south of Haifa, in solidarity with two Yeshiva students who were imprisoned for refusing to report to the IDF recruitment offices background — Photo: Flash90

The deadline for a new conscription law has passed, escalating tensions within Israel’s governing coalition as Haredi factions signal they may withdraw support. United Torah Judaism, an Ashkenazi Haredi party, had demanded a written draft of the law exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service by Shavuot, but no agreement was reached.

A senior Haredi official told Maariv, “By Tuesday, Netanyahu will decide if he has a government.” With Tuesday here and no draft law in sight, the Admor of Gur, a key spiritual leader, is pushing for an immediate exit from the coalition. Agudat Yisrael, a faction of United Torah Judaism, is preparing to propose dissolving the Knesset, pending a decision from Degel HaTorah’s rabbis.

Haredi lawmakers are set to meet Tuesday with Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, to discuss the stalled conscription law. On Wednesday, they will consult with their rabbinic leaders, who will determine whether to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Agudat Yisrael is poised to leave unless the Admor of Gur is persuaded otherwise after the Edelstein meeting.

The standoff points to the increasingly fragile balance in Netanyahu’s coalition, as Haredi parties wield significant influence during the ongoing debates over military service exemptions.