Ultra-Orthodox parties within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition withdrew from Israel’s government on Monday after a failure to pass a conscription bill deemed acceptable by the Haredi political bloc. The move has left Netanyahu’s coalition one seat short of a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
The United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, composed of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox parties Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah, made the announcement after weeks of tension over the proposed legislation aimed at drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the military. Degel HaTorah was the first to exit the coalition earlier Monday, followed later that evening by Agudat Yisrael, following a public statement from Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush.
Porush cited dissatisfaction with the draft legislation as the reason for resignation, stating the bill failed to adequately protect the interests of the ultra-Orthodox community. UTJ controls 7 seats in the Knesset, and its withdrawal reduces Netanyahu’s coalition to just 61 seats, the bare minimum needed for a governing majority.
The issue of Haredi military conscription has become increasingly contentious since the Hamas-led October 7th attacks and subsequent war in Gaza. While broader Israeli society has mobilized, the ultra-Orthodox population has largely resisted military service, sparking widespread national debate and public protests.
Last month, Netanyahu narrowly survived a no-confidence vote when UTJ supported the government, allowing the coalition to scrape by with a two-vote margin. However, with UTJ now out, the remaining ultra-Orthodox Shas party—which holds 11 seats—has issued its own ultimatum, threatening to resign if its concerns over the draft bill are not addressed. As of Monday night, Shas remains in the government.
If Shas were to withdraw, Netanyahu would be left with a severely weakened minority coalition, likely triggering early elections. Such a collapse could also leave him exposed to ongoing corruption charges without the shield of political office.
Netanyahu’s coalition, which began with just 67 seats in December 2022, has remained fragile, with the far-right playing a pivotal role in its survival. Over the weekend, reports emerged that Netanyahu met with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionism party to reassure him that any proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza would be temporary. Smotrich had previously threatened to exit the coalition in April 2024 over similar ceasefire negotiations.
In January, a ceasefire led to the temporary departure of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party from the coalition. He rejoined two months later when Netanyahu broke the ceasefire in Gaza.