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UTJ United Torah Judaism party

United Torah Judaism MKs Moshe Gafni (left) and Uri Maklev attend a National Security Committee meeting at the Knesset on February 9, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 6, 2026, 2:19 am
Veteran Haredi MK Moshe Gafni to be removed as leader of UTJ’s Degel HaTorah faction
Gafni and MK Uri Maklev won’t run in October 27 election, with rabbinical leader saying it is time to ‘refresh’ party list; shake-up said driven by internal dispute over military draft
By ToI Staff
Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri in the Knesset, June 3, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 22, 2026, 6:06 pm
Almost all bills removed from Knesset agenda as Haredi boycott enters second week
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri warns that unless law benefiting yeshiva students and draft evaders is passed, ‘we will not support any coalition legislation’
By Sam Sokol
Motti Babchik, a senior UTJ political operative, and thousands of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men protest outside an IDF Military Prison near Kfar Yona, central Israel, against the jailing of seminary students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, June 17, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
June 18, 2026, 10:20 pm
Enraged by arrests of draft evaders, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community is in revolt
Yeshiva students are blocking roads and breaking into police stations as Haredi parties hold coalition’s legislative agenda hostage. PM said to be considering halting detentions
By Sam Sokol
Shas leader Aryeh Deri in the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 27, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 1, 2026, 1:29 pm
Internal ultra-Orthodox politics are driving an unprecedented assault on the AG
Facing intense pressure from constituents over the failed draft exemption law, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and right-wing allies are inciting a rebellion against law enforcement
By Shalom Yerushalmi
MK Moshe Gafni attends a finance committee meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, April 29, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
May 27, 2026, 7:26 pm
Following draft evader arrests, Gafni calls on Haredim to halt cooperation with police
Degel HaTorah chair urges local representatives not to ‘become complicit in harming the holy Torah.’ MKs advance bill restoring daycare subsidies for the children of draft dodgers
By Sam Sokol
Left to right: Former prime minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 20, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90); Opposition Leader Yesh Atid MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset on May 25, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90); Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, speaks during a conference at Tel Aviv University, May 12, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90); Leader of the Democrats party Yair Golan leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on May 25, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90); Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman leads a faction meeting at the Knesset on May 25, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
May 27, 2026, 5:16 pm
Opposition party leaders spar over potential inclusion of Haredim in future coalition
Democrats’ Golan slammed after undated clip showed him saying he would sit with ultra-Orthodox if it was the only way to oust Netanyahu-led Likud and far-right; Lapid and Bennett vow no compromise on draft exemptions
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers attend a vote to dissolve the Knesset, May 20, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
May 24, 2026, 11:29 pm
Haredi parties reject latest draft exemption bill, setting stage for Sept. elections
Spiritual leader of ultra-Orthodox faction believes Netanyahu has no intention of letting the bill pass into law, is instead trying to use it for a larger electoral maneuver
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men attend a rally against the detention of yeshiva students who evaded conscription outside the IDF's Beit Lid military prison, August 14, 2025. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
May 24, 2026, 3:53 pm
Haredi bill aims to reduce draft dodgers’ sentences if religious needs ‘violated’
UTJ’s Porush claims there is ongoing ‘violation of basic religious rights’ of Haredi evaders in military prison, even though IDF provides for the religious needs of soldiers
By Sam Sokol
Rabbi Dov Lando casts his vote at a voting station on the morning of the Municipal Elections, in Bnei Brak, on February 27, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/ Flash90/ File)
May 13, 2026, 9:30 am
Ultra-Orthodox parties break with Netanyahu but know they have nowhere else to go
Despite Rabbi Lando’s ultimatum and anger over the draft law, any talk of a historic alliance with the center-left is baseless, as the Haredi factions rightly fear losing their voters
By Shalom Yerushalmi
United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) in the Knesset on November 24, 2015. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)
May 6, 2026, 7:03 pm
PM said to ask Haredim to again shelve draft exemption bill — this time until after election
Senior ultra-Orthodox MK denies report while another suggests it’s true, claiming Netanyahu lied about ever having any intention to pass law exempting yeshiva students from IDF service
By Sam Sokol and Emanuel Fabian
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotirch and United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni attend a Knesset budget debate, December 16, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg FLASH90)
March 9, 2026, 9:09 pm
Haredi parties likely to vote for 2026 state budget despite lack of exemption law
Shas and Degel HaTorah expected to vote in favor of budget while Agudat Yisrael will oppose it. Bill regulating Haredi conscription will not pass before the Knesset recess
By Sam Sokol
Shas party leader MK Aryeh Deri, right, speaks with United Torah Judaism No. 2 MK Moshe Gafni during a Knesset plenum session in Jerusalem, February 10, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 5, 2026, 6:02 pm
In midst of war with Iran, Haredim continue to push for sweeping draft exemptions
Spokeswoman for Knesset defense panel chairman Boaz Bismuth says draft of controversial bill ready to advance once Knesset resumes normal parliamentary activity
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a road during a protest against the jailing of yeshiva students at the Gilat junction, near the southern Israeli city of Ofakim, February 9, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
February 10, 2026, 11:50 am
Haredi spiritual leaders: Those who arrest draft dodgers could face divine retribution
Rabbis of Shas, UTJ’s Degel HaTorah call on Military Police to refuse orders rather than commit the ‘terrible crime’ of arresting ultra-Orthodox men evading military service
By Sam Sokol
MKs Moshe Gafni (R) and Yitzhak Goldknopf of UTJ attend a plenum session at the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 14, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 28, 2026, 6:30 pm
Budget likely to advance after crisis over conscription, as Haredi factions signal support
Lawmakers set to hold initial vote Wednesday night, after standoff over ongoing disagreements on ultra-Orthodox draft led to threats of early elections
By Sam Sokol, Reuters and ToI Staff
Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest outside the IDF recruitment center in Jerusalem on November 12, 2025 (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
January 26, 2026, 3:02 pm
Netanyahu holds urgent talks as Smotrich calls for elections over budget vote delay
Holdup caused by ultra-Orthodox objections to proposed amendments to controversial draft bill; Haredi politicians, finance minister meet with Netanyahu to resolve issue
By Sam Sokol
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