The bitter dispute over military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews has escalated into a state crisis. Not only are secular commentators sounding the alarm, but harsh criticism is now emerging from within the Haredi community itself. The ultra-Orthodox press is pulling no punches. The daily newspaper Yated Neeman accuses Likud politician Yuli Edelstein of pushing the country toward elections with “draconian sanctions.” Other Orthodox outlets like Modia and HaMevaser echo this sentiment. Threats are coming from the heart of the coalition: If no compromise is found, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government could collapse. What’s unfolding is far more than an ideological clash—it’s a political showdown in the midst of war, with a prime minister backed into a corner, a defense committee chairman scapegoated, and a nation watching as national unity threatens to crumble.

The conscription dispute for ultra-Orthodox Jews is intensifying. Yated Neeman attacks Yuli Edelstein over “draconian sanctions.” A senior figure from the ultra-Orthodox party Degel HaTorah threatens to topple the government if no solution is reached, calling it a “vendetta on the backs of Orthodox Jews.” In contrast, Israeli journalist and Fauda creator Avi Issacharoff wrote: “Sanctity of life or sanctity of the coalition? While Israel’s finest sons fall at the front, this government—purely for political reasons—plans to exempt an entire population group from military service. The vast majority, who have faced the war and taken on reservist duties, will not forgive the ultra-Orthodox politicians—or the prime minister who enabled this.”

Front pages of the Orthodox newspapers Yated Neeman (left), HaMevaser (center) and Modia (right).

The front page of Yated Neeman opened this morning with sharp criticism of Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee:

“Edelstein’s draconian sanction proposals and the attempt to criminalize Torah students are steering Israel toward elections.”

The paper continues:

“Representatives of our revered rabbis were shocked to see the list of sanctions Yuli Edelstein wants to insert into the conscription law—sanctions that would cost many Orthodox families thousands of shekels a month, sometimes tens of thousands a year. If the law the committee chairman is planning, including the now-revealed sanctions, is passed, it would be an outrageous scandal.

“An Arab who raises his son to violence and terror continues to receive all state benefits. A prisoner isn’t affected either. But an Orthodox yeshiva student, whose only ‘crime’ is his desire to continue studying Torah, is to be punished with full severity, along with his family—even if formal quotas are met.”

As a result, leading rabbis and Torah scholars from the Orthodox parties are threatening to exit the government next week. But until that happens, the situation could still shift.

In many respects, the ultra-Orthodox parties and their voters have understandable arguments. Yet the current situation is exceptional. The army is operating nonstop, and the burden on reservists is immense. Recently, in coordination with the government, reservist duty was extended to up to 100 days per year. Many reservists are at their physical, emotional, and financial limits. Meanwhile, a significant portion of the population remains exempt from service for religious reasons. Many in the country see this as deeply unjust—especially those who are serving or have relatives at the front.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ministers and members of parliament during a debate in the plenary hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on May 28, 2025. Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

Netanyahu’s government is at a delicate tipping point. The ultra-Orthodox parties are firmly demanding that the prime minister honor his political commitments. But these promises are becoming a heavy liability in the context of an ongoing war. Netanyahu expects his coalition partners to show more understanding for this emergency—or risk the government’s collapse. Yet, at this moment, consideration seems to take a backseat. The ultra-Orthodox parties are resorting to political blackmail: Either Netanyahu delivers, or the country will be plunged into early elections. That such a power struggle is erupting in the middle of a war is not only a sign of political instability but also a damning indictment of the government as a whole.

Moreover, audio recordings revealed today a conversation between Netanyahu and a leading rabbi, in which the prime minister told the rabbi he had removed Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant from their posts to push through the conscription exemption law: “If they’re against you, you can’t move. Now we can move. The military obstacle has been cleared.”

ההקלטות שבהן נתניהו חושף: “שר הביטחון והרמטכ”ל בלמו את פתרון משבר הגיוס – ולכן הוחלפו” | חשיפת חדשות 13https://t.co/V1KkboAiP0@LiorKenan pic.twitter.com/ystz9Qhl4u

— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) June 4, 2025

Netanyahu said this to Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a member of the Council of Torah Sages and a leading authority in the ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian community. “We must not only save the State of Israel but also the world of Torah—and that’s what I believe in. With God’s help, we will do it. For that, we need time to pass the law in a way that’s unchallengeable. We had enormous obstacles, which we’ve now removed. You know: If the defense minister is against you, and the chief of staff too, you can’t move forward. Now we can.” The media exploded with outrage—especially in these tense wartime conditions.

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva, during a class at a yeshiva in Jerusalem, October 22, 2024. Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.

According to political sources, Netanyahu proposed to ultra-Orthodox leaders that he would remove Edelstein from his post if they agreed not to dissolve the Knesset. Their response was clear: “Firing him won’t help us.” An ultra-Orthodox minister said the talks were less about resolving the conscription dispute and more about eliminating Edelstein: “This is classic Netanyahu,” the minister said. “Now, with the threat of the Knesset being dissolved, Netanyahu will probably fire Edelstein tonight.” Still, the minister added that such a move wouldn’t solve the core issue: “The conscription crisis remains. Netanyahu never wanted, and still doesn’t want, a real solution for the status of Torah students.”

On Israeli radio, Orthodox Rabbi Motke Bloi pointed out that many secular Israelis also evade conscription, yet this rarely makes headlines. And he’s not entirely wrong. Numerous young men fall through the cracks for various reasons and don’t show up for military service, without public outcry. “Look at what Yuli Edelstein wants to impose on a Torah student—not on someone from North Tel Aviv who just ‘doesn’t feel like’ joining the army, but on someone who, following his rabbis’ guidance, studies and therefore doesn’t serve. And they want to slap a whole list of sanctions on him?” Bloi asked indignantly. “This is a vendetta against Bibi—on the backs of Orthodox Jews.” Indeed, this raises questions. One of the most prominent Israelis not serving in the reserves is none other than Yair Netanyahu—the prime minister’s eldest son—who has been living comfortably in Miami for months. This, naturally, frustrates many in the country.

That Israel’s elected officials are bickering over who must serve and who doesn’t in the midst of a war is a political and moral failure. They can afford the luxury of this debate only because others—in the south and the north—are defending the country, ensuring calm in Jerusalem and the interior.

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