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Degel HaTorah Refuses to Advance Draft Law, Deepening Israel’s Coalition Crisis

The withdrawal strips the bill of a majority and raises the prospect of new alliances and early elections.

Overview

  • Degel HaTorah told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu it will not move the draft law before the next election, a decision first reported on Sunday that effectively halts the current legislative push.
  • United Torah Judaism leaders have shifted from automatic coalition backing and now demand immediate, concrete benefits for the chareidi public in return for support of government measures.
  • Degel figures have held talks with former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot to explore an alternative enlistment framework that reports say would allow roughly 30 percent of bnei yeshiva exemptions.
  • Legal advisers warned the existing draft contained equality and constitutional flaws likely to be struck down by the High Court, and senior Likud MK David Bitan said the bill no longer has a political majority.
  • The split weakens the long-standing right‑wing bloc, increases the chance of early elections with parties already jockeying over a September versus October date, and could reshape coalition math if chareidi factions negotiate with opposition figures.