Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Under Political Pressure After UTJ Party Leaves Coalition

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu/screenshot via Instagram @b.netanyahu

JAKARTA - The religious party left Israel's ruling coalition in a dispute over mandatory military service, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a narrow majority in parliament but still enough political support to secure a potential ceasefire in Gaza.

Six United member Torah Judas (UTJ) submitted a letter of resignation last night from positions on parliamentary committees and government ministries.

Their resignation is a protest against the failure of lawmakers to ensure future military exemptions for religious ultra-Orthodox students.

Shas, the second ultra-Orthodox party that is closely allied with UTJ, may follow and leave the government without a parliamentary majority.

UTJ lawmakers said their strike would take effect after 48 hours, giving Netanyahu two days to try to resolve the crisis that has plagued his coalition for months.

Even if that effort fails, parliament will enter a summer recess in late July, which will give the prime minister three months away to find a solution before losing its majority could threaten his position.

Netanyahu also faced pressure from far-right parties in his coalition over ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Qatar.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas aim to stop fighting in Gaza for 60 days so that half of the remaining hostages detained by Hamas can be released and aid can flow into the shattered enclave.

These negotiations will also open up a further phase of negotiations to end the war completely.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich want Israel to continue the war, but Netanyahu may still have enough cabinet votes to secure a ceasefire without them.

"Once the right agreement is submitted, the prime minister will be able to pass it," a close aide to Netanyahu, Topaz Luk, told Army Radio on Tuesday.

Reuters reported on Tuesday, July 15, Israel is increasingly fed up with the 21-month war in Gaza, which began with a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which caused the deadliest day for Israel with 1,200 people killed and 251 people held hostage by Palestinian militants.

Israel's next attack on Hamas has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, caused a humanitarian crisis, and destroyed most of the region.

The attack also resulted in the highest number of Israeli military casualties in decades, with about 450 soldiers killed so far in fighting in Gaza. This further heats up the heated debate over the new draft military bill that is the epicenter of Netanyahu's political crisis.

Ultra-Orthodox seminary students have long been released from military service.

Many Israelis are angry with what they consider an unfair burden borne by the majority of students on duty.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders say full-time service to studying scriptures is something sacred and worried that their youth will stay away from religious life if they are recruited into the military.

Last year, the Supreme Court ordered the revocation of the exception. Parliament has been working on drafting a new military service law, which has so far failed to comply with UTJ's demands.