Israel’s coalition collapses: Another party withdraws from government

Kokcha News Agency – The political crisis in Israel deepens as Agudat Israel, part of the United Torah Judaism alliance, announced its resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. This comes after Degel HaTorah, another member of the alliance, also stepped down. The resignations are in protest of the government’s failure to bring a bill to the Knesset that would exempt Ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service.

Meir Porush, the Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Heritage from Agudat Israel, stated that the party’s rabbis had ordered the resignation after the latest draft proposal by Yuli Edelstein, head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, failed to meet the demands of the Haredi community.

Israeli state television KAN reported that the resignations would take effect within 48 hours, while negotiations with Edelstein continue.

Potential Further Resignations:
Netanyahu is reportedly engaged in talks to salvage the coalition. If the resignations proceed, only the Shas Party, representing another segment of the Haredi community, will remain in the coalition. However, Shas is also expected to resign next week, which would reduce the coalition’s 68 seats to 61 in the 120-member Knesset. Falling below the 61-seat threshold would strip the government of its majority.

Background on the Military Exemption Debate:
Under Israeli law, all citizens over 18 are required to serve in the military, but the exemption for Haredim has been a contentious issue for years. The debate intensified after Israel’s Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 2024, that there was no legal basis for exempting Haredi men from conscription and that those eligible must be drafted.

The government has already issued draft notices to approximately 24,000 of the 80,000 eligible Haredi men, with plans to send notices to the remaining group by July for the 2025-2026 conscription cycle.

The failure to pass a law exempting Haredim from military service has led to a political crisis, with Haredi coalition partners boycotting the Knesset and even bringing the government to the brink of dissolution. Although a vote to dissolve the Knesset failed to secure a majority, the issue remains unresolved.