Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that unless the coalition partners find a way to pass the latest amendment to the conscription law, he will call early elections even while the Knesset is still on its summer recess.
The Knesset is scheduled to reconvene for the winter session on Oct. 14.
Netanyahu said he would prefer to hold the elections as scheduled, in November 2019, and said this depends on United Torah Judaism leader and deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman, who refuses to support the current version of the conscription bill.
The issue of mandatory military service for the ultra-Orthodox sector has dogged Israeli politics for years. Many ultra-Orthodox people believe they should receive a blanket exemption from military conscription, which they see as secondary to Torah study. But secular Israelis, who are subject to a mandatory draft, are outraged by having to shoulder the burden without any contribution from a substantial sector of the population.
The previous legislation passed to ensure exemptions for Torah students was struck down by the High Court of Justice as violating the Defense Service Law, forcing the haredi parties to rework the bill.
The court originally gave the government until August 2018 to enact new legislation, but later granted the state's motion to extend that deadline to Dec. 2.
So far, Litzman has refused to compromise on his demand for a full exemption for yeshiva students. Shas leader Aryeh Deri has agreed to back the current bill and has even urged Netanyahu to pass the amendment, regardless of Litzman's position.
But the prime minister has insisted that the two ultra-Orthodox parties come up with a solution acceptable to both.
Netanyahu has said that he believes the coalition crisis can be resolved, but stressed that all coalition partners must agree to whatever solution is devised.
"Passing an amended conscription bill is one of the core issues that formed the basis for the coalition and the current government," Litzman said Sunday. "We have no interest in early elections but we cannot compromise on the fundamental issue of preserving the status of yeshiva students. The various proposals will be brought before our Council of Sages and we will follow their instructions on the matter."
Netanyahu's ultimatum and Litzman's seemingly blasé response infuriated lawmakers from Degel Hatorah, the Lithuanian faction in the United Torah Judaism party, who are willing to support the current bill.
Sources in Degel Hatorah told Israel Hayom that Litzman and his supporters are harming the interests of the haredi public, which are duly catered for in the current bill.
"We've had officials pore over this issue for hours on end, checking every little detail," one official said. "At the end of the day, we still find ourselves being dragged into a competition over which Hassidic faction is more radical."
Shas MK Yakov Margi said, "I hope Rabbi Litzman will be able to explain to his sages that these are difficult times and this bill is the lesser of all evils."
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, a staunch proponent of drafting haredi men, urged Netanyahu to pass the conscription bill regardless of United Torah Judaism's reservations.
"Netanyahu should remember that he has the necessary majority to pass this bill thanks to Yesh Atid. There's no need for him to once again be humiliated by Litzman," Lapid tweeted.
"Any compromise on this issue is capitulation. It is unthinkable to let draft dodgers decide the future of military conscription," he wrote.
Zionist Union faction head MK Yoel Hasson said, "Why wait? Call for early elections now. The opposition is ready and willing to vote in favor of the dissolution of the Knesset at any time. Enough with the games and media spins."
