Will the Government Collapse Tonight? Secret Letter from Rabbi Landau Revealed

JERUSALEM — The escalating crisis over Israel’s military draft law took a dramatic turn as Rabbi Dov Landau, the leading Lithuanian Haredi authority, signed a handwritten letter Sunday night ordering his party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), to immediately withdraw from the government if no draft bill is submitted today as promised.

JFeed has learned that the letter, written after the Tisha B’Av precursor fast of 17 Tammuz, was co-signed by Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch. Both instructed UTJ lawmakers to act without delay if Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Yuli Edelstein fails to uphold his pledge to present the bill’s text by Monday.

In a rare show of urgency, the rabbis allowed a brief extension until Monday night—“a final opportunity” for Netanyahu and Edelstein to deliver. But the message is clear: the time for delays is over.

Last-Chance Deadline

As reported earlier, UTJ has issued Netanyahu a 24-hour ultimatum to bring forward an agreed-upon version of the draft exemption law. If not, the ultra-Orthodox faction will leave the coalition immediately. Sources in Shas also confirm that the party is now seriously considering quitting the government, with a final decision expected from the Council of Torah Sages in the coming days.

Behind the scenes, there is mounting fury in Haredi circles. Leaders accuse Edelstein of deliberately stalling the legislative process to prevent the bill from passing before the summer recess.

“He’s dragging his feet to sabotage the law,” one senior UTJ official told JFeed.

Military Enforcement Looms

Tensions are further inflamed by the IDF’s recent announcement—delivered via the Attorney General—that in two weeks, Military Police units will begin arresting Haredi draft dodgers across Israel as part of a wide-ranging enforcement campaign.

Haredi lawmakers have warned repeatedly: “If even one yeshiva student is arrested, we walk.”

Netanyahu in the Crosshairs

While Edelstein is blamed for procedural delays, anger is also directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who promised significant progress via Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs—progress that, so far, has failed to materialize.

“Netanyahu doesn’t really care about the draft issue,” one senior Haredi figure told JFeed. “He’s stalling. We followed him, and now we’re left without a law.”

According to the original plan, the bill was to be submitted to former minister Ariel Atias, who would pass it on to Haredi leaders for rabbinic approval. Committee discussions were set to begin immediately thereafter. Instead, Edelstein postponed the process by another week—effectively killing any chance of passing the law during the summer session.

The Political Fallout

Even if UTJ and Shas resign now, Netanyahu will still have the extended summer recess to salvage his coalition. But sources warn that if the government collapses over the draft law, the political blame will fall squarely on the Prime Minister.

Cabinet Rage and Political Payback

A senior coalition insider told JFeed that Edelstein’s obstructionism stems from a personal vendetta:

“On October 7, Edelstein tried to unseat Bibi and become PM with opposition support. The Haredim refused to back him—and now he’s taking revenge.”

Bottom Line: What was once a simmering Haredi grievance is now a full-blown coalition crisis. Rabbi Landau’s letter signals the most serious rupture yet. The next 12 hours may determine the fate of Netanyahu’s government—and the future of the controversial draft law.