Netanyahu: If ultra-Orthodox don’t compromise on draft, we’ll go to elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells fellow coalition leaders that if the ultra-Orthodox parties don’t compromise on a military draft law for their communities’ seminary students, the government will dissolve and go to elections next month.

“We have to know where [United Torah Judaism party head Yaakov] Litzman stands on the draft issue,” Netanyahu tells the top ministers. “The ball is in Litzman’s court. If the Haredim want to reach a compromise, we can get through this. We have to find out if they want that.”

Two people notably missing from the meeting: Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who backs the plan put forward by the Defense Ministry and supported by much of the coalition, and Litzman himself.

At the meeting, those in attendance — including Jewish Home chief Naftali Bennett, Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon, Shas’s Aryeh Deri and UTJ MK Moshe Gafni representing the party — agreed that if an agreement could not be reached on the draft bill by the next cabinet meeting, then that meeting will set the date of the next election.

That gives the Haredi parties three weeks to reach a compromise. No cabinet meeting is scheduled during the government’s August vacation.