Latest news with #DegelHaTorah
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israeli government hanging by a thread, chance of survival relies on two-ultra-Orthodox parties
The Israeli government now enjoys only a minority status following Hebrew media reports which suggest that two major Haredi parties have withdrawn from Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition after office politics or rather religious politics with two-ultra-orthodox parties withdrawing post non-conscription in military request for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. The move comes amid Degel HaTorah, which holds four Knesset seats, and Shas, with 11 seats, after the government has failed to deliver on its long-promised draft exemption laws. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Public Policy Data Analytics Design Thinking MCA PGDM Artificial Intelligence CXO Operations Management Data Science others Leadership Project Management Healthcare Data Science MBA Digital Marketing Management Degree Finance Cybersecurity Technology Others healthcare Product Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details Netanyahu is in a single government for the first time since he took office, post withdrawal of the two parties, cutting seat share from 65 to 50. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo While the larger base broadly deposes broad military draft exemption, the ultra-Orthodox parties demand permanent exemptions. As the coalition weakens, Netanyahu is hanging for straws as both parties shall not support a no-confidence motion, but also unsure of the future as the two parties have also not joined any other party making more confusion. Live Events . Crises arisen from draft exemption The coalition crisis stems from Netanyahu's inability to advance legislation that would permanently exempt ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service. The Haredi parties had been demanding this law as a key condition for remaining in the government. Netanyahu faces pressure from two directions: his ultra-Orthodox partners want sweeping draft exemptions, while his broader political base opposes giving religious students permanent military service exemptions . A key lawmaker has also blocked efforts to create exemption legislation the Haredi parties would accept. Netanyahu is a minority now Netanyahu's task at hand is not light as he would need to build temporary alliances to pass bills and secure votes with a guaranteed majority. It would need Haredi parties' help on specific issues. The administration and day-to-day governance can be severely impacted as a loss of 15 seats is not insignificant. Netanyahu's hope to survival or a 'renaissance-like' takeover from the opposition, is the Haredi parties who have not yet joined the Opposition which now controls 70 seats compared to the government's 50.
Middle East Eye
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Netanyahu left in precarious position as two ultra-Orthodox parties withdraw from his coalition
A second ultra-Orthodox group has withdrawn from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition this week, leaving him holding on to power with the minimum number of seats required, multiple news outlets reported on Tuesday. The Agudat Yisrael faction withdrew on Tuesday, leaving Netanyahu's coalition with 61 seats in the Knesset out of a total of 120 seats, while the Degel HaTorah faction withdrew on Monday. Both groups withdrew in protest against a bill not being drafted to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service. The Shas party - also an ultra-Orthodox party - is threatening to withdraw on Thursday. If this happens, it would lead to the collapse of the Netanyahu government and trigger elections.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Netanyahu's coalition is rattled as ultra-Orthodox party announces exit over military draft law
An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party that has been a key governing partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) it was leaving the coalition government, threatening to destabilise the Israeli leader's rule at a pivotal time in the war in Gaza. United Torah Judaism's two factions said they were bolting the government over disagreements surrounding a Bill that would codify broad military draft exemptions for their constituents, many of whom study Jewish texts instead of enlisting in the military. The issue has long divided Jewish Israelis, most of whom are required to enlist, a rift that has only widened since the war in Gaza began and demands on military manpower grew. 'After the government repeatedly violated its commitments to ensure the status of Jewish seminary students,' the Degel HaTorah faction said in a statement, its lawmakers announced 'their resignation from the coalition and the government.' Threat to Netanyahu's rule The departure of a party that has long served as a kingmaker in Israeli politics doesn't immediately threaten Netanyahu's rule. But once it comes into effect within 48 hours, it will leave the Israeli leader with a slim majority in a government that could now more heavily rely on the whims of two far-right parties. Those parties oppose concessions in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas and have themselves quit or threatened to quit the government over moves to end or even pause the war in Gaza. No breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire talk The political shake-up comes as Israel and Hamas are discussing the terms of a truce for the 21-month war in Gaza. Despite heavy pressure by the U.S., Israel's top ally, and mediators Egypt and Qatar, there is no breakthrough yet in the talks. A recurring sticking point has been whether the war ends as part of any truce and Netanyahu's far-right coalition allies oppose ending the war while Hamas remains intact. United Torah Judaism's departure has a window of 48 hours before becoming official, meaning Netanyahu can still find ways to satisfy the party and bring it back into the coalition. But Shuki Friedman, vice president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, said the gaps between the draft law currently on the table and the demands of the party are still wide, making a compromise unlikely during that time. Friedman said the party's departure doesn't immediately put Netanyahu's rule at risk. A vote to dissolve parliament that would bring down the government and trigger new elections can't be brought by the opposition until the end of the year because of procedural reasons. And a summer recess for Parliament, beginning later this month and stretching until October, gives Netanyahu another attempt to bridge the gaps and bring the party back into the coalition. Cabinet Minister Miki Zohar, from Netanyahu's Likud party, said he was hopeful the party could be coaxed back to the coalition. 'God willing, everything will be fine,' he said.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Netanyahu's coalition under pressure as ultra-Orthodox party quits
A key governing partner of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that its seven parliament members would be quitting the coalition government on Tuesday, threatening to destabilise the Israeli leader's rule at a critical point in the war in Gaza. United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party, said that it would leave the coalition over disagreements surrounding a bill that would codify broad military draft exemptions for their constituents, many of whom study Jewish texts instead of enlisting to the military. "After the government repeatedly violated its commitments to ensure the status of Jewish seminary students," the party's Degel HaTorah faction said in a statement, its lawmakers announced "their resignation from the coalition and the government". A decades-old arrangement allowed tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews to avoid the country's compulsory military service and study religious texts instead. The party wants the government to pass a law that would formalise exemptions from military service for its constituents — a deeply divisive issue between secular and religious Jews, especially since the war in Gaza has increased demands on military manpower. After years of legal battles, the country's High Court last year ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service. The military has since attempted to increase call ups for ultra-Orthodox men, to little success. While the departure of United Torah Judaism doesn't immediately impact Netanyahu's rule, the Israeli leader now has a slim one-seat majority in parliament. It leaves open the possibility that the second, larger ultra-Orthodox party, Shas, which has 11 seats, could follow suit, a move that would wipe out the prime minister's majority. The Knesset is now also more reliant on two far-right parties that comprise the coalition. Both oppose concessions in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas and have themselves quit or threatened to quit the government over moves to end the war in Gaza. United Torah Judaism's departure has a window of 48 hours before becoming official, meaning Netanyahu can still find ways to satisfy the party and bring it back into the coalition. But Shuki Friedman, vice president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, said the gaps between the draft law currently on the table and the demands of the party are still wide, making a compromise unlikely during that Cabinet Minister Miki Zohar, from Netanyahu's Likud party, said he was hopeful the party could be coaxed back to the coalition. 'God willing, everything will be fine,' he said. The political shakeup comes as Israel and Hamas are holding indirect talks over the terms of a truce in the 21-month war in Gaza. Despite heavy pressure from the US to agree to a deal, and mediations by Egypt and Qatar, no breakthrough in talks has been made.
Khaberni
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaberni
Israeli United Torah Judaism Party Withdraws from Netanyahu's Government
Khaberni -The United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, a religiously conservative faction in Israel, announced that it will withdraw from the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to a long-standing dispute regarding the lack of drafting a law to exempt religious school students from military service. Six of the remaining seven members of United Torah Judaism, comprising the Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael factions, wrote resignation letters. Yitzhak Goldknopf, the leader of UTJ, had resigned a month earlier. This move will leave Netanyahu with a very slim majority of 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. It remains unclear whether Shas, another religiously conservative party, will follow suit. The Degel HaTorah faction stated in a press release that after consulting with its principal rabbis and "after repeated violations by the government of its commitments to ensure the sacred status of Jewish religious school students who engage earnestly in their studies... (Knesset members) announced their resignation from the coalition and government." The religiously conservative parties claim that drafting a law to exempt religious school students from military service was a key promise when they agreed to join the coalition in late 2022.
