Military draft crisis sparks political turmoil in Israel

Israel's Channel 12 reported that Ashkenazi leaders of the Haredi movement have made a final decision to vote no confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet on Wednesday. The channel stated that Netanyahu will do everything possible to convince the Haredim before reaching the critical point.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Army Radio reported that a formal religious ruling from the largest Hasidic movements (a branch of the Haredim) in Israel prohibits even those whose studies are not their profession from enlisting in the military. This applies to both existing and future Haredi groups.

The Hebrew outlet Kan reported that “Deri, United Torah Judaism, both the Lithuanian and Hasidic factions, all say the vote to dissolve the Knesset will take place on Wednesday unless an exceptional event—security-related or otherwise—occurs, which might prompt reconsideration. However, as it stands, the preliminary vote is certain.”

Kan added, “In the coming hours, Netanyahu will send emissaries to the Haredim, trying to convince them that if the Knesset dissolution law passes its preliminary stage, the cabinet will effectively collapse.”

Amid intense disputes in the occupied territories over military manpower shortages and Haredi exemptions from service, the Shas party, representing Haredi Jews, announced it will vote in favor of dissolving the parliament on Wednesday.

Shas emphasized, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet has disappointed us, and we will vote in favor of the law to dissolve the Israeli parliament (Knesset) on Wednesday.”

Shas spokesperson Asher Medina stated that the Shas faction will vote in favor of the Knesset dissolution bill, set for preliminary parliamentary review on Wednesday. He added, “Every time we get close to an agreement, Edelstein (chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee) issues another ruling that he knows will fail. The right-wing falls into a trap, perhaps because they feel ‘enough is enough, maybe it’s time to shake up the Haredi public.’”

Shas, a key ultra-Orthodox party in the coalition with 11 seats, has the power to topple the current Israeli cabinet. Its decision to exit the coalition means the cabinet will lose its Knesset majority, leaving it with a maximum of 57 seats, insufficient to maintain its position.

Amid the escalating political crisis between the Israeli cabinet and Haredi parties, IDF spokesperson Avi Dvirin highlighted the military’s need for a “broader and more comprehensive response” to recruitment challenges.

He noted that the army faces a shortage of over 10,000 soldiers, and with the next recruitment cycle starting next month, tens of thousands of additional conscription orders, particularly for Haredim, will be issued.

The situation grew more complex after the cabinet’s legal advisor announced that the military will issue over 50,000 conscription orders for Haredim in July, marking the first such large-scale initiative.

Official sources in the occupied territories indicate that the military is developing a comprehensive plan to intensify recruitment enforcement, including shortening the time frame for issuing orders and labeling non-compliant individuals as “deserters” to pave the way for expanded penalties.

Meanwhile, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced “significant progress” in confidential negotiations with Haredi parties to resolve the crisis, involving Netanyahu, Yuli Edelstein (chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee), and Haredi representatives.

However, this “progress” was met with anger and skepticism from Haredi circles. The United Torah Judaism movement stated that Netanyahu’s intervention came too late and threatened to push for parliament’s dissolution unless a law granting full Haredi exemption from military service is passed.