Agudath Yisrael Faction Threatens That ‘If Draft Law Not Settled, Government Will Fall’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In an interview with Mishpacha magazine, Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, head of the United Torah Judaism party, warned that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition could collapse if a law that exempts members of the chareidi community from military service does not pass, according to a Times of Israel report.

The remarks came as other members of UTJ have turned up the heat on the issue in recent days.

The coalition agreement stipulated that a Basic Law enshrining Torah study as “a foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people” as well as legislation allowing for exemptions from IDF service for full time yeshiva students would pass before the state budget was brought to a vote. The new legislation would lower the age of exemption from military service from 26 to 21.

The chareidi parties are also seeking to pass the Override clause which would prevent the court from striking down the Draft Law as it has done on previous occasions, claiming that it contradicts the Basic Law of Equality.

Due to the public opposition to judicial reforms and the sharp criticisms of the new government, Netanyahu sought to defer the contentious draft laws until after the 2023-24 budget, which must be passed by May 29 to prevent the Knesset’s automatic dissolution, resulting in snap elections.

Shas and the Lithuanian faction of UTJ agreed to defer the law but stipulated that it required the agreement of the Agudath Yisrael faction, which currently is not willing to compromise on the issue.

According to Netanyahu’s most recent proposal from mid-April, by lowering the permanent exemption age, the government hopes to spur chareidi men to leave the yeshiva and enter the workforce at a younger age. The current age of exemption has prevented yeshiva students from entering the workforce until after the age of 26, even if they were no longer interested in continuing with their religious studies.

The military opposes such a stark drop in the age and analysts speculate that the sides will have to meet somewhere in the middle.

UTJ MK Moshe Roth warned on Tuesday that Netanyahu would have to take concrete steps on the matter if Likud wants the party’s support on the state budget. Such measures, Roth said, would likely need to include the submission of a draft bill on the issue, which has yet to be drawn up, as well a statement on the timetable for the final passage of the law.

As frustrations mount over these issues, Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush, head of the Shlomei Emunim faction also from UTJ, said Netanyahu should either honor the agreement or “go home.” Porush later retracted some of his criticisms after Netanyahu met with him and the two discussed possible solutions to the issue

Earlier this week, reports said the chareidi parties had backed down from their demands and agreed that passing the budget and ensuring the stability of the government was the best way for them to eventually pass military draft exemption legislation later this year.