ALBAWABA- Degel HaTorah, a key faction in the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, has threatened to withdraw from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition unless a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jews from military service is advanced.
The party, which holds four Knesset seats, demands immediate legislative action before the Knesset's summer recess begins on July 27.
The dispute centers on a Supreme Court ruling from June 25 that mandates Haredi enlistment and cuts state funding to religious schools that resist compliance.
Ultra-Orthodox leaders reject military service, arguing it threatens their religious way of life. Mass protests have since erupted, and senior rabbis are urging followers to refuse enlistment orders.
Degel HaTorah, along with the Shas party, is pressing for a law that formalizes draft exemptions. Shas reportedly refused to join a dissolution motion that would have required Arab party support, delaying any immediate collapse of the government.
Despite the internal rift, Netanyahu’s coalition retains 68 of 120 Knesset seats, and a government fall is not imminent.
However, Shas may also quit the coalition if the draft law is not brought to a vote before the recess. The Knesset is scheduled to reconvene in October, giving Netanyahu time to maneuver.
Critics accuse the prime minister of prioritizing political survival over national unity, warning that the proposed law would deepen inequality and public resentment over conscription.
