Ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) Israeli parties in Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition said on 6 June that they are moving forward with an effort to dissolve the Knesset over the government’s failure to pass a law exempting members of the Haredi community from military service.
Sources in the Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) told Israeli outlet Flash that there has been some progress in talks with Netanyahu’s Likud party.
“We hope there truly is progress, but we are continuing with the process to dissolve the Knesset. First and foremost, we want to see a draft that is acceptable to us,” the UTJ and Shas sources said.
“In any case, until the draft law passes the committee – we are moving forward with the dissolution process, in accordance with the instructions of the rabbis. We’re tired of promises about progress behind closed doors,” they added.
On Thursday, Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara announced that the army will issue over 50,000 conscription orders to ultra-Orthodox students next month, further fueling outrage across the Haredi community.
The attorney general said the matter of drafting ultra-Orthodox into the army “is not progressing sufficiently, as the army urgently needs new recruits, which requires imposing personal sanctions on draft evaders,” according to Israel’s Broadcasting Corporation (KAN).
Netanyahu's ruling coalition is made up of 68 seats. The ultra-Orthodox parties, UTJ and Shas, which both make up 18 seats, have expressed dissatisfaction over the government's failure to pass a law exempting Haredi students from military service.
As a result, the two parties have been leading an effort to dissolve the Knesset.