FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Crisis in the Israeli government, 1 term "keeps" Netanyahu afloat...
The Israeli political chronicle knows no rest, not even in the scorching heat of July when the citizens of Tel Aviv or Haifa seek escape to the coast after months of war. On July 15, the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, representing the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, announced its final withdrawal from the governing coalition. This leaves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with only 61 members of the Knesset, one above the minimum majority threshold.
The UTJ represents about 11% of the Israeli population who follow strict religious rules and often operates in cooperation with the other ultra-Orthodox party, Shas. These parties are not only religious, but also ethnic: the UTJ represents the Ashkenazi (Jews of Eastern European origin), while Shas is a party of the Sephardic community (Jews from North Africa and the Middle East). Both have their roots in the old Agudat Yisrael movement, founded in 1912 as the political wing of Jewish Orthodoxy, which initially rejected the idea of a secular state but later agreed to participate in Israeli politics.
The crisis over military service: an unspoken pact at risk
Historically, ultra-Orthodox communities have stood in Israeli politics on a tacit pact: in exchange for their participation in a secular state, they are exempt from mandatory military service. But that pact has been called into question after a Supreme Court ruling last year that overturned the exemption. In response, the UTJ and Shas have called on Netanyahu to pass a law overturning the ruling.
But this time Netanyahu's Likud is refusing to give in, as the country is embroiled in multiple conflicts and requires more troops. The UTJ has already left the coalition, while Shas is still in the consideration phase. At stake is not just the survival of the government – but the survival of a political and social equilibrium that has lasted decades.
The Far Right and Religious Nationalism: Smotrich and Ben Gvir
Beyond the traditional religious parties, there are also more extremist formations that promote a hard line on Gaza and the complete colonization of the West Bank. These are the parties of Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionism) and Itamar Ben Gvir (Jewish Power). These are not simply ultra-religious – they are religious nationalists.
Smotrich and Ben Gvir do not share the Orthodox passive concept of “life in a secular state,” they believe in the creation of a “Greater Israel” based on the lands mentioned in the Torah. Ben Gvir’s party, which has its roots in the banned racist Kach movement, represents an open danger to internal and external peace.
It is precisely to these parties that Netanyahu has given the keys to the government and the state, a decision that in the long term could seriously weigh on his historical record as a leader. /Adapted by "Pamphlet" from "Inside Over"
Lini një Përgjigje