From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Gantz appalled by Haredi attempts to pressure Netanyahu over IDF draft
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
National Unity chairman and former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz says he is “very worried” by ultra-Orthodox parties’ refusal to support any bills advanced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, “not because of the threat to the coalition, but because it is part of negotiations to continue exempting our ultra-Orthodox brothers from conscription in times of war.”
“It’s inconceivable that a year and a half after the October 7 massacre, we’re even having this discussion,” he tweets.
The ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism announced on Monday that they would boycott all government bills during today’s Knesset plenum session, leading to the removal of the legislation from the agenda. On Tuesday evening, tensions ratcheted up even higher after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed the Personnel Directorate to immediately provide a plan to “expand and maximize” the number of draft orders sent to members of the ultra-Orthodox community.
Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition were reportedly furious at the move, which was aimed at providing the army with up to 80,000 potential conscripts, according to Hebrew media reports.
According to Channel 13 news, Defense Minister Israel Katz told the Haredi parties that he had not been involved in the decision. He has previously endorsed an enlistment outline under which the number of Haredim drafted into the military would be increased gradually year-over-year until it hits 50 percent of the annual eligible Haredi draft cohort in 2032.
“Yesterday, the defense minister reprimanded the chief of staff for seeking to uphold the law and issue orders. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of patriots are once again lining up for the expansion of the operation in Gaza. Have we gone crazy?” Gantz asks, referring to a new large call-up of reservists.
“This is what a government that puts politics above security looks like,” he continues, adding that “only a national consensus government that serves the entire public will be able to make amends.”
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