Netanyahu Abruptly Postpones Statement on Haredi Draft Bill as Political Crisis Deepens

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unexpectedly postponed a planned statement on the updated Haredi conscription bill on Tuesday evening, deepening the political storm surrounding what has become one of the most explosive issues confronting his coalition. The Prime Minister’s Office initially scheduled the address for 8:10 p.m., but minutes beforehand announced that “due to scheduling constraints,” it had been postponed. The delay came less than 24 hours after Netanyahu submitted his unprecedented request for presidential clemency to President Yitzhak Herzog.

Netanyahu spent part of the evening meeting with Transportation Minister Miri Regev to discuss the 2025 state budget.

Opposition Leaders Attack: “Netanyahu Fled”

Opposition figures moved quickly to frame the prime minister’s cancellation as a retreat. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of “escaping,” claiming that “Netanyahu’s escape tonight is a clear message to all members of the coalition: this law cannot be defended, and this law will not pass.”

Lapid sharply criticized the proposal as “a full-blown draft evasion law,” arguing that “50% of the ultra-Orthodox will not enlist, not even five percent.” He added that the draft includes “no quotas, no sanctions, no enforcement,” and places authority “not in the hands of the IDF, but with Aryeh Deri and Yitzhak Goldknopf.” He further accused the government of “betraying our fighters,” citing the toll of 920 soldiers killed and 20,000 injured over the past two years.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also issued a statement, calling the proposal “the law of evasion.” Bennett emphasized the IDF’s current manpower shortages, saying the army needs 20,000 additional soldiers to secure Israel’s borders. “There are only two options,” he said: “Recruit the ultra-Orthodox, or impose 120 more reserve days per year on reservists and destroy their future.”

At the opening of his statement, Bennett was caught on a hot mic telling his staff, “Guys, from the beginning. I asked for it without,” before continuing to argue that 100,000 Haredi men eligible for service could be trained within five months if the government backed the IDF. Instead, he said, the government is promoting a bill “designed to prevent any chance of recruiting ultra-Orthodox men.”

 Growing Resistance Within Likud and Partners

Within the coalition, opposition to the current version of the law — drafted under the guidance of MK Boaz Bismuth — has intensified. Among the dissenters are senior Likud MKs Yuli Edelstein, Dan Iloz, Sharan Haskel, Moshe Saada, Eli Revivo, Moshe Solomon, and Michal Waldiger. Minister Ofir Sofer (Religious Zionism) announced he would vote against the bill even if it leads to his dismissal.

A coalition insider said today: “Netanyahu knew there would be a problem — he just didn’t know the depth of the opposition and the size of the problem.”

Bereaved Families Speak Out

During a session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, bereaved father Zvi Sussman, whose son was killed in Gaza, condemned the proposal as an “outline of defiance under the protection of the law.” Sussman vowed, “We will fight this shameful law — and we will win.”

The newly published version of the draft law — which has drawn significant public criticism — includes several controversial elements:

• Civilian service in units supported by the Prime Minister’s Office will count as national service.

• An “ultra-Orthodox” individual is anyone who studied in Haredi institutions for at least two years between ages 14 and 18, extending eligibility beyond current yeshiva students.

• Recruitment targets for military and civilian service combined:

  • 8,160 recruits in the first year (extended to June 2027)

  • 6,840 in the second year

  • 7,920 in the third year

  • 8,500 in the fourth year

  • From the fifth year onward: 50% of each annual cohort of Haredi education graduates

• Up to 10% of those targets may be met through civilian service rather than military enlistment.

Critics argue that these frameworks will effectively ensure that most Haredim remain exempt, particularly due to broad definitions and an amnesty clause that clears existing deserters.

What Comes Next?

Netanyahu has not yet announced a new time for his postponed statement. Meanwhile, coalition tensions continue to rise, with key votes approaching and public pressure intensifying. The fate of the draft law — and potentially the stability of the coalition itself — remains uncertain.