Netanyahu coalition facing collapse following UTJ withdrawal

Agudat Yisrael then confirmed it would also withdraw as the latest version of the Charedi draft bill, currently sitting in committee stage, did not "satisfy the demands" made last month when a late compromise averted a similar pull-out.

The party is claiming that the bill "deviates from what was agreed upon", with this morning's edition of Yated Ne'eman - a Charedi newspaper close to UTJ - accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of "deception".

The resignations take 48 hours to come into effect, theoretically leaving some time for another eleventh-hour deal.

Now, though, fellow Charedi party Shas has announced its ruling Council of Torah Sages will meet tomorrow for “a crucial discussion regarding [the party’s] continued path in the government” in light of the “serious and unacceptable harm to the status of Torah scholars”. 

Central to the disagreement are the sanctions that could be imposed on yeshivah students if they refuse IDF service.

A last-minute compromise in June saw the punishments partially delayed after UTJ and Shas threatened to walk out and force a general election.

Under the deal, most of the sanctions for those who refuse a draft order – which include the suspension of driver’s licences, travel bans and cancellation of academic subsidies – would be enforceable as soon as the law comes onto the books.

But the suspension of discounts for Charedi men at religious dormitories and on public transport will be delayed by at least six months and only imposed if registration targets are not met.

There would then be a further two check-ups – at one year and two years into the recruitment cycle – with the suspension of National Insurance rebates allowed if targets are not met by the former and the removal of subsidies for second-hand apartments and Charedi daycare centers at risk if enlistment remains below par by the latter.

However, Yuli Edelstein, chair of the committee scrutinising the legislation, has reportedly told UTJ that he will not change the wording of the latest draft, insisting that the compromise did not agree a new version of the law but simply that the government would not be dissolved, according to Channel 12’s Amit Segal.

This was because the agreement was struck the night before the IDF and Shin Bet commenced Operation Rising Lion, which commenced the 12-day war with Iran.

According to the reports, Edelstein is seemingly suggesting that the deal was made to avert governmental collapse just before the war rather than constituting any climb down on the details of the bill – leading to accusations of “deception” from the Charedim.

Should Shas follow UTJ out the door this week, the coalition will be forced into minority government, but the failure of the vote in June to dissolve the Knesset means another attempt to force an election cannot be made until December.

Likewise, the Charedi draft bill is likely to pass despite the opposition of strictly-Orthodox parties given that it carries the support of key opposition factions.