Overview

• United Torah Judaism’s factions Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael resigned over the government’s failure to codify exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
• Six of UTJ’s seven MKs submitted letters of resignation, effective after a 48-hour window, reducing Netanyahu’s Knesset majority to a single seat.
• A Supreme Court ruling last year ended longstanding conscription relief for seminary students, fueling the dispute over the new military draft law.
• The ultra-Orthodox party Shas has yet to decide whether to follow suit, adding uncertainty to the coalition’s cohesion.
• With Parliament due to recess for the summer and ongoing Gaza war manpower pressures, Netanyahu faces intense pressure to broker a deal or risk a minority government.