A major rift has erupted within Israeli PM Netanyahu’s governing coalition as both United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas have announced they will boycott all coalition votes beginning Wednesday, in protest of the government’s continued failure to pass legislation formally exempting yeshiva bochurim from military conscription.

The decision was made during UTJ’s weekly faction meeting on Monday, with Hebrew media reporting that Shas has joined the move. Both parties notified coalition whip MK Ofir Katz (Likud) that they would be abstaining from all coalition-sponsored votes during Wednesday’s Knesset plenum session.

The step comes amid mounting frustration in the chareidi parties over what they view as a betrayal of core coalition agreements and a delay that threatens the Torah world. UTJ MK Rabbi Yaakov Asher told Kikar HaShabbat that if the law isn’t passed by the end of the Knesset’s summer session — July 27 — the party will find it nearly impossible to remain in the government.

“If this law does not pass in this session, we will have a very big problem sitting in such a government,” said Rabbi Asher. “We cannot be part of a government that turns bnei Torah into criminals. We simply don’t know how to sit in a government that refuses to pass this law. This is the most important thing for Klal Yisrael.”

The legislation in question would formalize the long-standing exemption for full-time talmidei yeshiva from mandatory IDF service — a cornerstone issue for charedim. While the government had previously committed to passing the law before the state budget was approved, those promises have repeatedly been postponed.

In response to the boycott, Likud MK Dan Illouz wrote on social media: “If the chareidi factions boycott the government’s votes and harm the coalition’s ability to function, then Likud should also reconsider supporting their legislation. The Likud is not a floor rag.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)