On July 14, 2025, Israel’s political landscape changed when the ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism (UTJ) withdrew from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. This decision was prompted by a disagreement regarding exemptions for yeshiva students from mandatory military service. As a result, Netanyahu now holds a slim majority of 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. conflicts.
Reuters and the Times of Israel reported that UTJ’s Degel Hatorah faction led the resignation. They cited the government’s failure to pass a bill exempting dedicated yeshiva students from conscription. After consulting head rabbis, the faction announced the move. “Following repeated violations by the government of its commitments to ensure the status of holy yeshiva students who diligently engage in their studies,” they stated, MKs resigned from the coalition and government.
The Agudat Yisrael faction soon followed. All seven UTJ Knesset members, including chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf, who resigned a month earlier, are leaving. A spokesperson confirmed this total. Rabbi Dov Lando, Degel Hatorah’s spiritual leader, accused the government of increasing hardships for Torah students. Ultra-Orthodox parties have long threatened to exit over this issue. They joined the coalition in late 2022 with promises of such exemptions.
One of Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism, said it was quitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition due to a long-running dispute over failure to draft a bill to exempt yeshiva students from military service https://t.co/RLYPI1Y0nk
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 15, 2025Military service is mandatory for most young Israelis. However, ultra-Orthodox seminary students have enjoyed exemptions for decades. This practice spared growing numbers from duty. Last year, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the defence ministry to end it and start conscripting these students.
The topic heats up during Israel’s war in Gaza. The military remains engaged there, making exemptions a divisive point. Some coalition members want to scrap them entirely. Others, like UTJ, seek to maintain or formalise them.
Netanyahu pushed to resolve the deadlock. A new proposal on enlistment exemptions failed to meet UTJ’s demands. Knesset committee chairman Yuli Edelstein blocked a government-backed bill but later softened sanctions. Still, his revised version included measures like fingerprint scanning, which UTJ rejected.
Israeli ultra-Orthodox party leaves government over conscription bill https://t.co/AivPMY8Uj0
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) July 15, 2025Implications for Netanyahu’s Government
With UTJ’s seven seats gone, the coalition holds 61 seats—a razor-thin majority. This does not immediately topple the government. Resignations take effect in 48 hours, allowing negotiation time.
Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party, has not quit yet. It remains the only such group in the coalition. If Shas leaves, the majority could drop to 50 seats, risking collapse. However, both parties show little interest in immediate elections, especially with a three-month Knesset recess starting July 27.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised Netanyahu for pushing a “disgraceful draft-dodging law” during wartime. The crisis highlights tensions in Israel’s diverse coalition. This event occurs as Israeli forces report more casualties in Gaza. Truce talks falter over withdrawal demands. The conscription debate affects national unity and military readiness. Netanyahu may negotiate during the recess to retain a minority government. If talks fail, Shas and UTJ could push to dissolve the Knesset later.
