In recent days, several Israeli cabinet members have begun speculating that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu might opt to dissolve the current coalition and call for early elections if he becomes convinced that the chareidi factions truly plan to bring down the government over the contentious draft issue, Times of Israel report.
“Netanyahu knows there is no solution to the chareidi enlistment matter,” a senior minister told Zeman Yisrael. “He is bidding for time and will eventually say that ‘on this important matter, I didn’t cave.’ This way, he’ll at least win the election with the support of reservists and civilians who can’t live with the inequality in military conscription.”
The conscription of yeshiva students has long been a flashpoint in Israeli politics.
Attempts to legislate a balanced framework on this issue have consistently failed, with the High Court striking down any version that aligns with chareidi expectations, citing violations of equality under the law.
In a landmark ruling last year, the High Court declared the widespread exemptions long enjoyed by the chareidi population to be unconstitutional. Since then, chareidi parties have insisted on a new law that would formally codify exemptions for most yeshiva students.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has managed to stall the debate, delaying decisions and neutralizing coalition tensions even in the midst of war. But this time, the standoff appears more volatile, with pressure mounting from inside and outside the coalition and no clear resolution on the horizon.
{Matzav.com Israel}