Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jews, who have long avoided mandatory conscription, are now posing a significant risk to Netanyahu’s already fragile grip on power. The demonstrations they are organizing are becoming a major concern for the Prime Minister.
Critics criticize him for his failure to secure the release of all hostages taken captive on October 7. They also allege that he is prolonging the war in order to maintain his hold on power.
According to a recent survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, a majority of Israelis (57%) expressed their dissatisfaction with Netanyahu’s performance since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
President Joe Biden has expressed his strong disapproval of the Israel Defense Forces’ recent killing of aid workers in Gaza, describing it as “unacceptable.” He has been joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has hinted that the United States’ support for Israel could have its limits. In response to the incident, the IDF has taken action by dismissing two officers involved.
Despite facing internal discord and international condemnation, Netanyahu has consistently shown his ability to endure. He managed to weather the storm of mass protests last year, which were fueled by opposition to his proposed judicial overhaul plan. Many believed that this could potentially mark the end of his political career, but Netanyahu proved his resilience once again.
In order to prevent his downfall and maintain Israel’s course in Gaza, Netanyahu’s main objective is to preserve the unity of his far-right coalition government.
However, the protests led by ultra-Orthodox Jews have the potential to create problems for him as they may reveal divisions within the far-right coalition government that he has thus far managed to keep intact.
The protests arise from the Israeli government’s planned implementation of mandatory military conscription for Haredi yeshiva students.
Secular Israelis have been expressing frustration for a long time over the exemption that allows the majority of Jewish Israeli men and many Jewish women to be exempted from military service.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant within Netanyahu’s Likud party is determined to put an end to them.
In a statement made last month, he emphasized the immediate need for manpower in the army. He stressed that this issue is not a political matter, but rather a matter of mathematics.
The issue also prompted the country’s war minister, Benny Gantz, who is seen as a potential successor to Netanyahu, to agree and even consider resigning.
If Gantz were to leave, the government would not be brought down. However, if other members of the coalition were to follow suit, it could potentially lead to a collapse.
The government may face the risk of collapse if the funding is not safeguarded, as coalition members such as the United Torah Judaism and Shas parties have expressed their determination to do so.
If Netanyahu were to be ousted, Israel’s operations in Gaza would undoubtedly be heavily impacted. In fact, it could potentially have a more decisive effect than any intervention from external sources.
