Israeli Minister Predicts Netanyahu's Government Will Collapse Soon
June 5, 2025, 3:21 pm

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Reuters)

Israeli Minister Predicts Netanyahu's Government Will Collapse Soon

Amid the escalating crisis over military draft exemptions, it is anticipated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Member of Knesset Yuli Edelstein and representatives of the Haredi parties in an attempt to find a solution to the worsening crisis.

However, Haaretz reported, citing a source within the "United Torah Judaism" coalition, that the party "does not have high hopes for the upcoming meeting." The source explained, "Dozens of similar meetings have already taken place, and there is no reason to believe that any new agreement will be reached this time."

Senior rabbis from the "United Torah Judaism" coalition announced on Wednesday that the party would withdraw its support for the government due to disagreements over the mandatory enlistment of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the Israeli army.

The party, representing the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, holds seven of the 120 seats in the Knesset.

In this context, Haaretz cited a senior Netanyahu associate who predicted on Thursday that the government could collapse during the winter. The analyst said, "There are enough reasons to believe that the coalition won't last more than a few months after the Knesset returns from summer recess."

He continued, "The possible causes include the military draft law, polls conducted by Smotrich, or the budget—each of which currently seems unfeasible."
Currently, Netanyahu's right-wing government holds a majority of 68 seats, meaning that any withdrawal by the "United Torah Judaism" party could threaten the stability of the government and place it in a fragile position.

Opposition parties may attempt to dissolve the Knesset next week, especially as polls suggest Netanyahu might lose the upcoming elections scheduled for October.

The issue of conscripting ultra-Orthodox men has long been a point of internal dispute within Netanyahu's coalition. It was brought back to the forefront due to the recent Gaza conflict, with leaders warning of a severe shortage of active soldiers.

For decades, members of the ultra-Orthodox communities have been exempted from compulsory military service, but this exemption ended last year. The government has failed to pass new legislation to reinforce this special status.

In the summer of 2024, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men. Many in the ultra-Orthodox community believe that military service threatens their religious lifestyle, especially since men and women serve together in the army, raising concerns over its impact on their religious traditions.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
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