UTJ source accuses Netanyahu of disregarding threat to bring down coalition over draft law

The United Torah Judaism party is fuming over what it perceives as an inadequate response by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to its demands, and is assailing the premier over his planned five-day trip abroad next week, Channel 13 news reports.

Despite Netanyahu having reportedly promised UTJ leader and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf to expedite a planned law facilitating sweeping exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community from mandatory military service, the Kan public broadcaster has reported such legislation will not be completed by the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holiday.

Goldknopf has threatened to vote against the upcoming budget several months from now if the law does not advance, which could force elections.

Channel 13 quotes an unnamed Goldknopf associate as saying: “The prime minister is taking off next week for a trip with [his wife] Sara to the United States, instead of working to ensure we don’t go to elections. It’s clear the prime minister doesn’t really think the threat [to vote down the budget] is real; he is wrong.”