Overview

• Last year’s Supreme Court order to end ultra-Orthodox draft exemptions set the stage for this week’s crisis.
• United Torah Judaism announced plans to leave the coalition after lawmakers failed to advance a bill implementing the court ruling.
• A similar exit by the Shas party would strip Netanyahu of his parliamentary majority and likely trigger early elections.
• The exemption issue has fueled protests for decades and has grown more contentious during Israel’s war in Gaza as reservists face extended deployments.
• Recent polls show broad disapproval of Netanyahu’s conduct of the Gaza war and suggest he would face an uphill battle in a new vote.