Ultra-Orthodox Parties Exit Netanyahu Coalition Over Military Draft Dispute
Two influential ultra-Orthodox parties have exited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, escalating a long-standing political rift over military service exemptions for religious students.
Degel HaTorah, a faction within the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, formally resigned on Monday after senior rabbis issued a directive urging lawmakers to quit. Just hours later, Agudat Yisrael, the Hasidic wing of UTJ, also declared its departure.
Their exit undermines Netanyahu’s parliamentary base and intensifies the internal crisis over efforts to formalize draft exemptions for Yeshiva students. The law in question seeks to shield ultra-Orthodox men engaged in full-time religious study from Israel’s mandatory military service — a policy that has sharply divided religious and secular communities.
Rabbi Dov Landau, a prominent Haredi authority, said the decision was driven by what he described as government hostility toward Torah scholars:
“The authorities have repeatedly disrespected and pressured Torah students, breaking promises again and again,” he wrote in a public statement.
Coalition Majority in Jeopardy
Before the walkout, Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition controlled 67 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset. With the ultra-Orthodox blocs now outside the alliance, the government’s majority is effectively lost, leaving it vulnerable to collapse unless a compromise is reached.
While the withdrawals do not automatically topple the government, they leave Netanyahu’s leadership in a precarious position. Degel HaTorah has signaled it may return, but only if a version of the exemption law is presented that meets the approval of its spiritual leadership.
The exemption bill has remained stalled for weeks amid disagreements, despite Netanyahu’s attempts to bridge gaps within his coalition.
