Exclusive: Will Netanyahu’s Government Collapse Today? Haredi Parties Issue 24-Hour Ultimatum
In a dramatic ultimatum, United Torah Judaism warns Netanyahu of an imminent pullout unless a draft law is submitted within 24 hours. Shas sources say the party is likely to join the exit in the coming days. JFeed has learned the full scope of the behind-the-scenes crisis.
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Jerusalem — In a sharp escalation of internal coalition tensions, senior officials in United Torah Judaism (UTJ) have delivered a clear message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: unless an agreed-upon version of the new draft law is submitted within the next 24 hours, the party will quit the coalition immediately.
JFeed has learned that Shas, Netanyahu’s other key ultra-Orthodox partner, is expected to follow suit in the coming days—potentially blowing up the government’s fragile majority.
The threat comes after weeks of mounting frustration among Haredi lawmakers over the government’s failure to advance a military draft exemption law for yeshiva students. Despite repeated promises by Netanyahu—most notably via Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs—to deliver progress, no formal bill has been presented to the Knesset.
According to sources familiar with the internal negotiations, the plan had been for former Minister Ariel Atias to receive a finalized draft, secure rabbinic approval, and then begin committee deliberations in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as early as this week. However, committee chairman MK Yoav “Yuli” Edelstein blocked the submission, causing a critical delay. The current session will now end without a vote, pushing any legislation to after the summer recess.
Meanwhile, in a parallel development, the IDF—through the Military Advocate General—announced it will launch an aggressive draft enforcement campaign in two weeks. Military Police units will begin arresting Haredi youth who have received draft notices and failed to report. Haredi factions have warned that if even a single yeshiva student is arrested, the coalition agreement will be torn up immediately.
One senior coalition official, speaking to JFeed on condition of anonymity, accused Edelstein of sabotaging the legislation out of personal vendetta. “He’s driven by revenge and hatred for Netanyahu. Don’t forget—on October 7, Edelstein tried to form an alternative government with opposition support. When the Haredim blocked it, he never forgave them. This is his payback.”
But the anger isn’t limited to Edelstein. Ultra-Orthodox leaders are also directing their ire at the prime minister himself. “Netanyahu has dragged his feet, broken promises, and left us with nothing,” one senior UTJ figure told JFeed. “We followed him, and he left us stranded.”
Enforcement Plan Revealed
According to an internal legal summary obtained by JFeed, the upcoming military enforcement campaign will include:
A follow-up meeting is scheduled to finalize the legal framework for enforcement. Officials from the IDF are expected to provide detailed operational plans and clarify the legal reasoning behind their enforcement priorities.
Analysis
This crisis has the potential to trigger the most severe coalition rupture since the government’s formation. Netanyahu, already under international pressure over the Gaza and Iran fronts, now faces a domestic political rebellion that could cost him his ultra-Orthodox base—without which his government cannot survive.
JFeed will continue to follow this story closely with exclusive updates from inside the coalition negotiations.