Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a new political crisis after an ultra-Orthodox party quit his government over a long-running dispute over mandatory military service.
The party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), announced on Monday night that all seven of its lawmakers are stepping down from government roles. Six submitted their resignations this week, while the party’s leader, Yitzhak Goldknopf, had already resigned last month.
The resignations come after months of frustration from ultra-Orthodox leaders, who are angry that the government hasn’t kept its promise to protect yeshiva students — young men who study religious texts full-time — from being drafted into the army.
The party’s Degel HaTorah faction said the decision to leave was made after speaking with its top rabbis. They accused the government of breaking its word and said they could no longer be part of it.
This move leaves Netanyahu’s coalition with just 61 seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament — the smallest possible majority. Another religious party, Shas, may also leave, which would take away Netanyahu’s majority altogether.
For decades, ultra-Orthodox men in Israel have been exempt from military service. But many Israelis see this as unfair, especially as the war in Gaza continues. Over 450 Israeli soldiers have been killed, and the burden of service mostly falls on the rest of the population.
Last year, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men, saying the current system is unequal. Since then, the government has struggled to agree on a new law, with deep divisions inside the coalition.
In June, just before Israel’s brief conflict with Iran, Netanyahu’s government nearly collapsed over this same issue. He managed to calm things down temporarily with a deal, but tensions have now boiled over again.
Netanyahu is also under pressure from members of his own Likud party to be tougher on draft dodgers, while religious parties insist on full exemptions.
Despite the crisis, the government might hold on for now. Parliament will break for the summer at the end of July, giving Netanyahu some time to find a solution.
“As soon as the right deal is on the table, the prime minister will be able to pass it through,” his aide Topaz Luk said in a radio interview. But with trust breaking down, many are wondering how long that deal can last.
