Netanyahu tells Likud ministers there’s no government unless Haredi draft law passes – report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau has sent a message to ministers in his Likud party that he will not give up on the contentious Haredi draft law, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

The outlet says the premier told them that without the law, there will be no government.

The ministers reportedly spoke to people close to the premier to explore the possibility of not supporting the law when they received the message.

As the deadline to present new legislation draws closer, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said yesterday that he would not support Netanyahu’s outline for a Haredi draft law, and criticized his fellow coalition members for refusing to be “flexible” on the issue of blanket exemptions from the IDF for the ultra-Orthodox community. Hours later, National Unity leader Benny Gantz threatened to exit the coalition if the controversial legislation is approved.

Since the beginning of the war against Hamas, the government has called up a total of 287,000 reservists, announced earlier-than-planned draft dates for some 1,300 members of pre-army programs, and pushed to significantly increase both conscripts’ and reservists’ periods of service.

That latter plan, presented by the defense establishment last month, generated fierce backlash among lawmakers from across the political spectrum and encouraged multiple legislative pushes to end the de facto exemptions for the Haredim.

Netanyahu’s proposed outline does not set a quota of ultra-Orthodox men enlisting per year, the Ynet news outlet reported. Instead, it raises the age of exemption from service to 35, while ensuring that Haredi men who don’t enlist will not face criminal sanctions. It also includes a plan to set up special ultra-Orthodox battalions in the IDF and add Haredi positions in the country’s emergency services and government offices.

According to a report on Sunday by Channel 12, the proposal also stipulates that the process of passing a conscription law will only begin at the end of June — shortly before a Knesset recess.

Ministers are set to discuss the planned legislation on Tuesday.

Sam Sokol contributed to this report.