Recruitment Law Crisis: "Yahdut Hatorah" Withdraws from Netanyahu's Government

SadaNews - The "Yahdut Hatorah" bloc, consisting of both "Degel Hatorah" and "Agudat Yisrael," announced on Monday evening its withdrawal from the Israeli government coalition in protest against the proposed formula for exempting Haredim from military service that was presented to Haredi Knesset members. The "Degel Hatorah" party announced its withdrawal from the Israeli government coalition on Monday evening amid escalating disagreements over the law exempting Haredim from military service and in protest against the formula of the law that was presented to Haredi parties. For its part, the "Agudat Yisrael" party, in a statement issued by Minister Meir Porush, said that "in light of the draft proposal of the law, which does not meet the requirements and position of senior rabbis, the members of the Council of Senior Rabbis directed party representatives to resign from their coalition positions." Israeli reports indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will make every effort in the next 48 hours, before the resignations and request to withdraw from the government come into effect, to convince Haredi blocs to accept a compromise regarding the recruitment law. With the withdrawal of the "Degel Hatorah" party from the government coalition, and without the other Haredi parties, such as "Agudat Yisrael" and the "Shas" movement, taking similar steps, Netanyahu's coalition still holds a majority in the Knesset with 64 seats. Representatives of "Degel Hatorah" did not threaten to vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset or toppling the government, which opens the door for new negotiations with Netanyahu under pressure to respond to their demands concerning military service exemptions. In an official statement, "Degel Hatorah," the Lithuanian wing of the "Yahdut Hatorah" bloc, announced that its decision was a protest against what it described as the "government's failure to meet its commitments" to students of Torah institutions, in a step described as "dramatic." The party stated that the decision is based on the instructions of Rabbi Dov Landau, who emphasized in a message to his Knesset members that his opinion is "to immediately terminate participation in the government and coalition." Rabbi Landau accused the "state authorities" of "showing an increasing intention to tighten the lives of Torah students and repeatedly failing to meet their commitments" related to passing the law exempting Haredim from service in the Israeli army. The party stated in its announcement, as followed by SadaNews, that "based on the guidance of the highest religious authority, members of the Knesset from Degel Hatorah will withdraw from the government and coalition today," noting that Landau's message was issued "after it became clear that Likud does not intend to pass the recruitment law as agreed with the Haredi parties." Landau said in his message, "In light of the repeated evasion of commitments to settle the situation, and they are the crown of creation and the secret of its existence – my opinion is to immediately terminate the participation with the government and coalition, including withdrawing from all positions related to that, and may the Lord save us quickly." Rabbi Landau signed the message on Wednesday evening, and the next morning, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch joined it with his signature at the request of Rabbi Landau. Earlier, Israeli media reported, according to SadaNews's follow-up, that the head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Yuli Edelstein, is inclined not to present a draft law to exempt Haredim from military service today, despite the direct pressures being exerted on him by Netanyahu. It is estimated that Netanyahu may dismiss him from the committee’s leadership if he continues to refuse. Meanwhile, the "Yahdut Hatorah" party broadcast pessimistic messages indicating that "there is no breakthrough in the negotiations," emphasizing that "the general trend is towards resignation." Israeli media conveyed similar messages from within the "Shas" movement. For his part, a source in Haredi circles said, "Edelstein is misleading everyone, including Netanyahu in the last hours," referring to the ambiguity surrounding his final position on passing the law. The newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" quoted senior political officials saying that "a formula for the recruitment law proposal will be presented today," despite earlier estimates suggesting that the draft law would not be presented today, after Edelstein expressed hesitation on the matter. According to what the Israeli public broadcasting authority ("Kan 11") reported, Edelstein informed his coalition partners of his intention to present the formula he prepared during the day, in an attempt to advance the file amid rising tensions within the government. The channel speculated that Haredi parties, led by "Degel Hatorah," would express reservations about the proposed formula. Source: Arab 48