Another ultra-Orthodox party quits Netanyahu government over Haredi conscription

A second ultra-Orthodox party quit the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, a day after a similar withdrawal from the ruling coalition.

The Agudat Yisrael faction, which has three seats in the 120-seat Knesset, decided to withdraw from Netanyahu's coalition in protest of the failure to pass a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredi, from military service, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said.

It came a day after Degel HaTorah, which holds four Knesset seats, also quit the government on Monday evening.

Both parties make up the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) bloc, which holds seven of the coalition's 68 seats in the Knesset.

Netanyahu's governing coalition needs at least 61 in the Knesset to remain in power.

Ultra-Orthodox parties have long pushed for legislation to exempt Haredi men from Israel's compulsory military service, a stance that faces growing opposition from several factions within the government and the broader public.

According to Israeli Channel 12, the Shas Party, another ultra-Orthodox party, also intends to withdraw from the government coalition on Thursday, citing the same reasons.

The withdrawal of the Shas Party, which holds 11 seats, will lead to the collapse of the Netanyahu government that has remained in power since December 2022, necessitating early elections.

Israel's public broadcaster KAN said that the government is facing a critical deadlock over the recruitment of Haredi Jews.

The broadcaster said that the ultra-Orthodox parties presented a series of demands to the government, most significantly on the cancellation of thousands of draft orders and the funding of regional institutions.

Haredi account for about 13% of Israel's 10 million citizens. They oppose military service on religious grounds, arguing that studying the Torah is their primary duty and that integration into secular society threatens their religious identity and community cohesion.