Coalition on the edge: Netanyahu battles crisis over draft law and Gaza war

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Racing against time and facing mounting pressure ahead of a potential no-confidence motion and a bid to dissolve the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to reach understandings with his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners—United Torah Judaism and Shas—to prevent them from moving forward with a proposal to dissolve the Knesset and call early elections.

Calls for early elections have been a central demand of the opposition, the families of Israeli hostages, and protest leaders, who continue to voice discontent over the ongoing war in Gaza.

The coalition crisis erupted after Netanyahu failed to meet the ultra-Orthodox parties’ demand to pass legislation exempting yeshiva students from mandatory military service before the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which fell last Sunday. 

As a result, thousands of yeshiva students have become draft dodgers and are now at risk of arrest, while the government failed to enact the law by the agreed deadline.

Together, the two parties hold 18 seats in the Knesset. Should they withdraw from the coalition, the government would likely collapse, bringing early elections—possibly in October—closer than ever.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues to face a reservist crisis, with a significant number of reservists refusing to report for duty in the Gaza war. 

At the same time, new units are being recruited for possible deployment in Syria. Protests are expected to intensify in an effort to block any concessions Netanyahu might offer to the ultra-Orthodox parties.