Ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism (UTJ) saw its ministers and Knesset members resign from the coalition on Monday, marking the end of another tense evening. For them, it was a decisive moment: secure a military draft exemption law or leave the government.
Over the past day, the Haredi parties issued stark warnings to the coalition, threatening to quit unless a draft law was agreed upon within hours. The coalition debated whether to take these oft-repeated threats seriously. The threats prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rush from his court testimony in Tel Aviv to the Knesset to lead talks.
UTJ members shuttled between Netanyahu’s office and that of Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Yuli Edelstein. They initially announced their resignations but were quickly promised a draft law “within minutes”—just as news emerged of three IDF soldiers killed in Gaza.
The prolonged meeting in Edelstein’s office suggested no deal was forthcoming. Knesset members updated their rabbinical leaders that no progress had been made. UTJ ministers and lawmakers finalized their resignation around midnight, claiming to have been “deceived” by Edelstein.
Departing ministers included Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Meir Porush, Deputy Culture and Sports Minister Yaakov Tessler and Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Transportation Minister Uri Maklev. Other of the party's MKs to step down included Knesset Finance Committee Chair Moshe Gafni, Interior and Environment Committee Chair Yaakov Asher and Special Committee for Public Petitions Chair Yitzhak Pindrus.
They joined Yitzhak Goldknopf, who resigned weeks earlier as construction and housing minister to protest the lack of a draft exemption, and Yisrael Eichler, who left his post as Labor and Welfare Committee chair.
Some coalition members, including Likud MK Eliyahu Revivo, began eyeing the vacated ministerial posts. Revivo wrote on X that Likud, as a democratic movement, respects the party’s Knesset list rankings. Representing the populous Shfela region, he voiced confidence that appointments would proceed without political interference.
Shas, another major Haredi party, initially stayed quiet amid the political turmoil. While the party later signaled solidarity with UTJ and expressed frustration with Edelstein, it issued no formal statement overnight.
Party leader Aryeh Deri has worked to preserve coalition stability, notably blocking a Haredi-backed move to dissolve the Knesset before the Iran war, while maintaining leverage to pressure the government.
Shas’s next steps in the coming 48 hours will be closely watched, particularly to see whether its actions might prompt UTJ to reverse its resignations. Despite the dramatic walkout, a full government or Knesset collapse appears unlikely, with the coalition expected to survive the summer session ending this month.
Without UTJ, the coalition drops to 61 Knesset seats—and loses its majority if Avi Maoz, a former far-right ally who now votes inconsistently with the government, is excluded. If Shas also exits, the coalition would shrink to just 49 members.
The Haredi parties have already boycotted recent votes, effectively paralyzing the coalition’s legislative power.
No election date would be set automatically if the government collapses, and it could continue as a minority. Meanwhile, the opposition—led by Yesh Atid—is seeking to revive a failed bid to dissolve the Knesset. That motion, rejected last month, is barred from reintroduction for six months unless 61 lawmakers sign a special request.
With all opposition members already on board, nine additional signatures could compel Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana to bring the bill to a vote as early as next week, though several hurdles remain before new elections could be called.
Edelstein attacked the ultra-Orthodox parties, claiming they violated an agreement from the night of the Iran strikes, when tensions also peaked. “Either we get a real draft law, or nothing,” he told them as the crisis escalated.
Facing pressure to back down and even threats of dismissal, Edelstein said privately he anticipated Haredi rejection of his draft law proposal, which he called the maximum defensible compromise. “I won’t abandon the draft law,” he said.
“As I’ve always said, I won’t support a draft evasion law, only a conscription law.” He accused the parties of breaking the Iran strike night agreement, which stipulated no government dissolution until the end of fighting, alleging they began threats and boycotts beforehand.