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.”
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9 Responses
For some odd reason, there are many that call themselves Chareidi but are definitely not sitting and learning yet they don’t contribute their fair share society. If the army is not for you, no problem, become a teacher and teach Jewish Children about the Ribono Shel Oilam! Help out a hospital, become a Mashgiach so that Soldiers can eat Kosher food!
Why all this shirking of responsibility and then using the Torah as an excuse.
לא קרדום לחפור!
As right as they are, I don’t see another election bringing a government they’ll be more happy with. It’s unfortunate that we have to sit with our own enemies
Although i am in favor of yeshiva boys learning there has to be some kimd of compromise we are living in very hard times here in israel right now there are things yeshiva guys do in shirut leumi like zaka magen dovid adom and so many other things excpecially those who are not really in yeshiva
“…Likud should also reconsider supporting their legislation…” well Likud is already NOT supporting their legislation , which is why the charedim decided on the Boycott
Unfortunately, this is an empty threat – both the Chareidi parties and the Likud know that if the government falls, the next government will be much less favorable towards their goals. Halevai that this government should fall, though – to stop the Chilul Hashem that the Chareidi parties are causing with their refusal to participate in defending Klal Yisrael.
an Israeli Yid
Moshe:
Of course they do become teachers and mashgichim despite Zionist oppression.
rebEmes:
That’s not how it works. They’re only in that body of heretics to attempt to save the Jews. If they cannot do so, then they have zero reason to be amond those evildoers.
Irashleif:
If the Zionists would leave them alone, they would be even more involved in chesed organizations. They already are in Zaka and others.
An army that its leaders are lefty anti Torah is no place for any religious Jew be they Chareidi or religious settlers. Why are religious settlers soldiers who do the real front line fighting in Gaza not given an appointment to leadership. They want to use Chareidim and religious soldiers as usless idiots. Go fight room to room and get killed or wounded. Why don’t these fat cat pork eating leaders just stop all food,fuel,electricity,water,medicine,internet connection,media outlets from entering Gaza. But they won’t. Because their goal is to kill off as many religious Jews as possible. One religious soldier gets killed means his six or eight kids are left with no father to look after them and then they can easily become OTD. That’s the leftist goal. Why not shoot from planes or ships and flatten every standing building. Why not stop fuel shipments and the seventy five per cent tunnels become useless as you need fuel to run its air vents. Why are Arabs allowed to go to study for degrees and careers and avoid any volunteer work at ages 18 through 23. Why do they continue to release hundreds of Arab murderers all the time but refuse to release Jewish prisoners who attacked Arabs.
rebEmes, fuhn dein moel tzu Gott’s auren. The next government will finally address resolutely the problems caused by the Hareidi parties. Perhaps, Hareidim should begin preparing.
How do people who talk against the religious people, even though they are not perfect, think Hashem is going to save them in the Final Redemption? He’s obviously not going to save the secular people. And why would he want people who are semi observant who spoke against the religious people? Being the middle ground is not a safe place for you. You think the geulah and beis hamikdash is going to be here to include the people who constantly bashed the rabbis? Think hard about where you stand in life and even if it’s against your natural will, change your hashkafa because it’s going to end badly for you if you don’t wake up