Cracks appear in Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu’s coalition over concessions to ultra-Orthodox elements

Two of the ultra-Orthodox factions in Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s government say they will not vote in favour of more judicial changes until the Knesset parliament passes a law exempting yeshiva religious seminary students from the military draft.

Israelis are required to enlist in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) at the age of 18, but nearly all ultra-Orthodox men have received an exemption if they are registered as yeshiva students.

In 2017, Israel’s high court ruled out the practice of sweeping exemptions to full-time religious students and ordered the government to legislate a new law that doesn’t discriminate in favour of any section of the population. Since then the court has granted the government 15 extensions to legislate a solution and the last one expired at the end of July.

Studying Torah

The ongoing uncertainty prompted the religious parties to insist on a promise of new law exempting yeshiva students as part of the coalition agreements that were signed when the current government came to power at the end of 2022, arguing that studying Torah is of equal value as military service.

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However, Mr Netanyahu has focused almost entirely on the sweeping judicial overhaul, which opponents claim undermines Israeli democracy, and when the Knesset reconvenes in October he plans to push through another key element — changing the make-up of the panel that selects judges.

Heads of the United Torah Judaism party demanded that Mr Netanyahu immediately halt all judicial reform legislation until the ultra-Orthodox conscription law is passed. Leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties expressed concern that not only does the judicial reform legislation not serve the interests of their constituents, but it has actually led to a growing struggle against the religious public, specifically around IDF conscription.

Military reservists have been at the forefront of the mass weekly protests against the judicial overhaul — now in their 32nd week. Some 10,000 reservists have already said they will refuse to serve.

‘Draft-dodging Bill’

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, speaking at an IDF induction centre this week, spoke out against the ultra-Orthodox exemptions. “The draft-dodging Bill that the government wants to advance has one meaning — it will be the end of the people’s army. Only our children will enlist in the military. Only our children will risk their lives. That is unconditional surrender to blackmail.”

Coalition members are worried that pushing through legislation exempting ultra-Orthodox people from the draft will provide a massive boost to the protest movement and further undermine the government’s popularity.

Some members of Mr Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party said that in the tense political climate, they cannot vote in favour of a wide-ranging military exemption Bill. Likud parliamentarian Eli Dalal said everyone should be recruited, including those from the ultra-Orthodox community.