Israel's ultra-Orthodox draft exemption crisis threatens Netanyahu coalition

A long-simmering dispute over military service for Israel's ultra-Orthodox community has reached a boiling point, threatening the stability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The ultra-Orthodox, known in Hebrew as Haredim, have historically received broad exemptions from compulsory army service to pursue religious study. But after months of war in Gaza and mounting casualties, public pressure is growing to end those exemptions and share the burden more equally. The issue pits Netanyahu's secular and nationalist coalition partners against the two ultra-Orthodox parties—Shas and United Torah Judaism—whose support is essential to his 64-seat majority. If the government fails to pass a new conscription law by a court-imposed deadline, the Haredi parties could bolt, triggering new elections. For many Israelis, the draft fight goes beyond politics: it strikes at the heart of national identity, fairness, and who bears the cost of security. The outcome could reshape both the military and the country's social contract for decades.