Netanyahu government crumbles as UTJ walks out over draft betrayal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Jul 2025 14:53
6 Shares

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition is on the verge of collapse after the ultra-Orthodox UTJ party quit over his failure to uphold draft exemptions, deepening political fractures as the Gaza war enters its 21st month.

Listen

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, surrounded by ministers from the government attends a session of the Knesset, "Israel's" parliament, in occupied al-Quds, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition is on the brink of collapse after the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party withdrew in protest over conscription policies, exposing deep fractures within the political establishment as the Zionist regime's genocidal war on Gaza drags into its 21st month.

Late on Monday, six UTJ lawmakers submitted their resignations from government ministries and parliamentary committees, accusing Netanyahu of betraying long-standing promises to protect religious students from mandatory military service. "He broke the covenant," party officials said, referring to Netanyahu's failure to pass legislation securing exemptions for yeshiva students after "Israel's" Supreme Court struck down the previous arrangement.

The resignations, which take effect in 48 hours, strip Netanyahu's coalition down to a razor-thin 61-seat majority in the Knesset. If the allied Shas party follows UTJ's lead, as it has threatened to do, Netanyahu could be left without a parliamentary majority, at a moment when his political capital is rapidly eroding both domestically and abroad.

Ceasefire rift

The political rupture comes as Netanyahu faces resistance from within his far-right bloc over ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas in Qatar. While extremist ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich demand the continuation of the war, Netanyahu appears to be leaning toward a temporary halt in the aggression. The proposed 60-day ceasefire would allow for the release of half the remaining Israeli captives and the delivery of humanitarian aid to a Gaza Strip left in ruins.

"As soon as the right deal is on the table, the prime minister will be able to pass it through," said Topaz Luk, Netanyahu's close aide, in an interview with Army Radio, underscoring that Netanyahu still has enough cabinet votes to override hardline objections.

The internal political chaos unfolds against the backdrop of unimaginable devastation in Gaza. Since October 7, 2023, the occupation regime has responded with relentless airstrikes, sieges, and ground invasions, killing more than 58,000 Palestinians, displacing the entire population, and targeting hospitals, schools, and refugee camps. Gaza's infrastructure has been decimated, and its people are now facing starvation and disease under blockade.

Among the occupation forces, the mounting military toll, with nearly 450 Israeli soldiers killed, has fueled growing public backlash. Tensions are rising over conscription, as the ultra-Orthodox, long exempted through political agreements, now face increasing pressure to serve, a demand they continue to reject on religious grounds. Meanwhile, many secular Israelis, watching their children die in a war of aggression, are no longer willing to accept these exemptions.

With the Knesset set to recess at the end of July, Netanyahu has a short window to stabilize his crumbling coalition. But the growing resistance, from Gaza's fighters to the cracks in his ruling bloc, signals a broader unraveling of Zionist political control.