The rabbanim of Degel HaTorah have directed the party’s representatives to immediately resign from the government and coalition, due to the government’s failure to advance legislation protecting bnei yeshiva from the military draft. Shortly after Degel HaTorah withdrew, Agudas Yisroel followed suit.

The psak was issued late Sunday night by HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a, and joined Monday morning by HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita. Following the daas Torah of these two senior roshei yeshiva, Degel HaTorah’s MKs announced their decision Monday to exit the coalition without delay.

In a letter that was made public, Rav Dov Landau wrote with great pain: “Since the governing authorities are showing intentions to increasingly restrict the lives of Torah learners in various ways — through attempts to demean and crush them — and repeatedly fail to uphold their commitments to legally regulate the status of yeshiva students and dear Torah scholars, the crown of creation and the secret of its existence — it is therefore my opinion that participation in the government and coalition should be immediately terminated, including resigning without delay from all related roles. May Hashem rescue us swiftly.”

Minister Porush’s office said in a statement: “In light of the draft legislation presented last night regarding the status of yeshiva students and the military draft—which does not meet the standards and requirements of the Gedolei Yisroel, shlit”a—the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah has instructed the representatives of Agudas Yisroel to resign from their coalition positions.”

While the hora’ah is directed at Degel HaTorah, which represents the Lithuanian sector within the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) alliance, Agudas Yisrael — representing the Chassidic sector — immediately followed suit. Both factions form the UTJ bloc, which currently holds seven seats in the Knesset.

Shas, the Sefardi chareidi party led by MK Rabbi Aryeh Deri, has thus far refrained from making a definitive statement on whether it will join UTJ in quitting the government. According to Kan, however, Deri warned Prime Minister Netanyahu that if no progress is made on the draft bill before the Knesset’s summer recess on July 27, Shas may also be forced to withdraw.

While the withdrawal of UTJ and potentially Shas from the coalition does not immediately bring down the government, it drastically weakens Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ability to govern. The loss of 18 seats from his coalition would make it nearly impossible to pass legislation or maintain political stability.

At present, the chareidim have no intention of supporting a motion to dissolve the government, and the opposition lacks the means to advance such a proposal. A similar motion was recently defeated in the plenum and, under Knesset rules, cannot be reintroduced for another six months.

Meanwhile, the Knesset is set to begin its summer recess in approximately two weeks, during which legislative activity slows to a near standstill. As a result, the practical impact of the chareidim’s departure from the coalition will not be immediately felt.

The Knesset is scheduled to reconvene on October 19. If the crisis remains unresolved by then, the Knesset could be dissolved at that point, paving the way for new elections no earlier than January 2026—and possibly later.

The Prime Minister now faces intense pressure to deliver a version of the chareidi draft exemption bill that is acceptable to the Gedolim, or risk the unraveling of his government.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)