Netanyahu's government ally withdraws support, leaving Israeli Prime Minister in a delicate political situation
In the political landscape of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government is currently grappling with significant challenges. The ultra-Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), has already withdrawn from the coalition, leaving the government with a precarious majority of 61 out of 120 seats in the Knesset[2][4]. More recently, the Shas party announced its resignation from government positions but remains part of the coalition[3].
This decision comes amidst an ongoing crisis over the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men, a central issue causing instability. Potential scenarios for resolving this dispute include negotiations and compromise, coalition realignment, or elections[1][2].
Negotiations could involve amendments to the proposed enlistment bill to address the concerns of UTJ and Shas regarding the exemption of yeshiva students from military service[3][4]. However, coalition realignment is challenging given the current political landscape and the contentious nature of the conscription issue[1][2]. If no compromise is reached, early elections could be called, though Shas has so far indicated that it does not want to push for elections[3].
The army has warned of a severe shortage of combat soldiers due to the long war against the Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Many Israelis feel it is unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service and dangerous combat missions[5]. However, most ultra-Orthodox Jews view military service as a threat to their religious lifestyle, particularly due to the co-ed nature of service[6].
In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into the military[7]. Despite this, the ultra-Orthodox parties continue to use their decisions to put pressure on the government to pass a new law that grants exemptions from conscription for ultra-Orthodox men[8]. If an acceptable compromise on a draft bill is found, the ultra-Orthodox parties could rejoin the government coalition[8].
The situation is highly volatile, with both UTJ and Shas expressing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of conscription policies. The future of Netanyahu's government and any potential reforms will depend on whether these parties can be persuaded to rejoin or if alternative alliances are formed. During the three-month summer recess of parliament, Netanyahu will likely use this period to resolve the crisis with the ultra-Orthodox parties.
Policy-and-legislation discussions are crucial as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government works to address the ongoing crisis over conscription of ultra-Orthodox men, a key issue causing instability in politics. General news outlets report potential negotiations and compromise on amendments to the enlistment bill, which could persuade ultra-Orthodox parties like United Torah Judaia (UTJ) and Shas to rejoin the coalition, thus avoiding elections.
