Netanyahu's Coalition in Jeopardy as Ultra-Orthodox Party Quits Over Military Service Dispute

Ultra-Orthodox Party Quits Coalition

• ⚡ The United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, with six members, is quitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
• ⚠️ This move stems from a long-standing dispute over a new military conscription bill.
• 📉 The departure leaves Netanyahu's government with a precarious one-seat parliamentary majority in the Knesset.

Military Service Exemption Dispute

• 📜 Ultra-Orthodox parties argue that the exemption of seminary students from mandatory military service was a condition for joining the coalition in 2022.
• ⚖️ Last year, the Supreme Court ordered an end to these decades-long exemptions.
• ⚔️ The dispute is intensified by the ongoing war in Gaza, highlighting the contrast between soldiers fighting and ultra-Orthodox avoiding service.

Political Power and Ideology

• 🧠 Some ultra-Orthodox factions do not believe in the modern Israeli state or Zionism, historically mourning Israel's Independence Day.
• 💰 Despite ideological differences, they have gained significant political power, securing state subsidies by being part of the ruling coalition.

Netanyahu's Dilemma

• 🎯 Prime Minister Netanyahu faces a critical choice to maintain his coalition and stay in office, as the ultra-Orthodox parties form a base of his support.
• ⏳ The UTJ lawmakers' walkout takes effect after 48 hours, providing a short window for Netanyahu to resolve the crisis.
• 🗓️ If unresolved, Parliament's summer break at the end of July gives Netanyahu approximately three months to find a solution before his majority could be further threatened.