Netanyahu's government is on the "brink of collapse"

 

Netanyahu on the "edge of collapse"

Netanyahu's government is on the "brink of collapse" amid a dispute over compulsory military service.

An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party has announced its withdrawal from the country's ruling coalition over plans to impose compulsory military service, threatening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's continued rule. The party, which represents the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, holds seven of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament (Knesset).

Chief rabbis from the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance said the party would withdraw its support from the government amid a dispute over the forced service of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in the Israeli military. The party, which represents the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, holds seven of the 120 seats in the Israeli parliament (Knesset).

Netanyahu's right-wing religious government currently holds 68 seats, meaning the withdrawal of UTJ would put his government's majority at risk. Several opposition parties may attempt to dissolve parliament next week, as polls indicate that Netanyahu could lose the next election, scheduled for October.

The issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox Israeli men into the military has long been a point of tension within Netanyahu's coalition. The issue has resurfaced due to the war in Gaza, with leaders warning of an urgent shortage of combat-ready soldiers. Although members of the ultra-Orthodox communities have been exempted from compulsory military service for decades, the exemption ended last year, and the government has failed to pass a new law to strengthen this special status.

The Supreme Court ruled in the summer of 2024 that ultra-Orthodox men could be drafted into the military. Many ultra-Orthodox Jews view military service as a threat to their religious way of life, in part because women and men serve together in the military.