Netanyahu faces Israeli coalition crisis over enlistment of ultra-Orthodox Jews – POLITICO

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the suspension of state subsidies to ultra-Orthodox Jews who study in yeshivas instead of serving in the military. The move could have far-reaching consequences for Netanyahu’s government and the tens of thousands of religious men who are currently exempt from mandatory military service.

The court’s decision came just days before an April 1 deadline for the Israeli government to agree on a new law allowing the ultra-Orthodox community to avoid being drafted, according to media reports. The government is currently debating a bill that would seek to compromise by allowing exemptions with limitations.

It is the most serious threat to Netanyahu’s government since he established a fragile national unity administration in the days following the Oct. 7 attack by the Hamas militant group.