Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers threaten to resign from Netanyahu gov’t
Lawmakers from Degel HaTorah – a key faction in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party – say they will resign from the Israeli government over a long-running dispute on military conscription for Haredi men.
Spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of “failing to fulfil obligations” to protect yeshiva [religious seminary] students from being drafted into the army, and said continued participation in the coalition is no longer acceptable.
Degel HaTorah said yeshiva students should be exempt from military service so they can dedicate their lives to Torah study.
While Degel HaTorah alone cannot topple Netanyahu’s government, its withdrawal could destabilise the fragile coalition, especially if the other ultra-Orthodox parties follow suit.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest Israel’s war on Gaza in London, England, the UK
Israeli ultra-orthodox party leaves Netanyahu government
Israel’s ultra-orthodox party, Degel HaTorah, says its Knesset members have resigned from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
The move comes over a dispute on the failure to draft a bill to exempt students of Yeshiva, educational institutions focused on the study of traditional Jewish religious texts, from military service, it said in a statement.
