Israel's ruling coalition has submitted a call for an early election following fractures with government allies over the issue of ultra-Orthodox conscription. If the vote passes in the Knesset next week, a general election would be held within 90 days, projected for the third week of August, two months before the government's term ends on October 27.

Ultra-Orthodox parties, key components of the 2022 far-right coalition, have made exemption from military service a pillar of their political platform. The crisis escalated in July 2025 when Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) threatened to withdraw support unless a bill exempting their constituents was passed. While they continued backing the government on key votes, UTJ's Degel Hatorah faction now demands the government's collapse.

The party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Dov Lando, declared he had lost faith in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating: 'From now on, we will only do what is good for Haredi Judaism. We must work to dissolve the Knesset as soon as possible. The concept of a 'bloc' no longer exists for us.'

Ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in full-time religious study have been exempt from military service since Israel's founding in 1948. Israel's High Court ruled this illegal in 1998, but temporary measures repeatedly deferred recruitment. In 2024, the court again ordered the government to begin conscripting ultra-Orthodox men. The military issued roughly 24,000 draft notices, but only 1,200 responded.

Refusal to serve is grounded in religious belief and the desire to preserve a Torah-study-centered lifestyle. Polls show about 85% of Israelis favor conscripting Haredi men or imposing sanctions on refusers. Opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett have criticized the exemption, promising to end benefits for religious students who refuse national service.

After its genocide in Gaza, conflicts in Iran and Lebanon, and occupation of parts of Syria, the Israeli military is exhausted and needs new recruits. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir warned the Knesset that the burden on forces is unsustainable: 'I deal with a multi-front war and defeating the enemy. To keep doing that, the IDF needs more soldiers immediately.' He called recruiting ultra-Orthodox men 'an existential need for the IDF,' which would likely lead to more civilian casualties.

Source: www.aljazeera.com