United Torah Judaism

Will United Torah Judaism cooperate in replacing Netanyahu?

UTJ representatives clarify that they will not back opposition leader Yair Lapid or Likud’s Yuli Edelstein, putting forward Benny Gantz as their preferred candidate instead.

Haredi MK promises: We will vote to dissolve the Knesset

MK Yitzhak Pindrus says Degel Hatorah faction will vote to dissolve the Knesset, says 'time will tell' if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is serious about Draft Law.

Haredi party rejects Netanyahu offer, pushes to dissolve Knesset

Degel Hatorah party rejects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to amend the Continuity Law, saying it will not support 'futile actions intended to buy time' on the Draft Law.

Haredi journalism declares end to Netanyahu alliance

Haredi newspapers launch coordinated attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after collapse of trust over Draft Law crisis.

Haredi Draft:

Degel HaTorah threatens to dissolve the Knesset

A sharp confrontation developed between the prime minister and the Degel HaTorah faction after Netanyahu asked the party to postpone advancing the draft law until after the elections.

Netanyahu's request from the haredi parties

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked haredi parties to put Draft Law on back burner, report says.

Gafni:

'The Draft Law is just an excuse to bring down the government'

MK Moshe Gafni claims the protests over the Draft Law are a political tool, says he will act according to the guidance of leading rabbis, and leaves the door open for a return to the coalition.

Budget drama

Smotrich warns: We'll dissolve the Knesset

Budget vote delayed to Wednesday due to haredi parties' demand to pass Draft Law.

First crack in the coalition?

Agudat Yisrael MK votes with the opposition

Until now, Agudat Yisrael had limited itself to a quiet boycott, refraining from voting with the coalition and pulling bills from the agenda. However, MK Yaakov Tesler’s vote marks the crossing of a red line.

Goldknopf threatens:

'We may oppose the budget'

The chairman of United Torah Judaism stresses that he will act according to the guidance of the rabbis on the draft issue.

Haredi leaders disagree on Draft Law

Meeting between Lithuanian-haredi leaders and hasidic rebbes concludes without agreement on Draft Law position.

Haredi MK:

There are more draft-dodgers in Tel Aviv than among haredim

United Torah Judaism chief MK Yitzhak Goldknopf meets 12th graders from Ulpanat Ra'aya in Beit El, answers their questions about the lack of haredi enlistment.

Haredim infuriated

Knesset Speaker votes for opposition civil marriage bill

The three haredi factions in the Knesset issued harsh condemnations after Speaker Ohana voted for an opposition-backed bill to legalize civil marriages.

Haredi party to oppose Draft Law?

Ahead of expected legislative blitz, Hamodia newspaper report raises questions about support for Draft Law proposal.

Advancement of Draft Law

Boycott of haredi parties expected to end

After the presentation of the draft of the recruitment law to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) are expected to return to voting with the coalition starting next week, thus ending the haredi boycott of votes.

Government to appoint Yariv Levin to haredi ministries

The government is expected to appoint Yariv Levin to head three ministries vacated by Shas and UTJ ministers, in a move aimed at preventing disruptions and preserving Haredi staffing and influence.

Haredi party head:

No government with haredi support without Draft Law

United Torah Judaism chief MK Yitzhak Goldknopf demands Draft Law pass before elections, warns no coalition will receive haredi support until it passes.

'We won't allow it'

Haredi faction slams Finance Minister's yeshiva budgets

Degel Hatorah slams Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's budgets for yeshivas, accusing him of funding only Religious Zionist yeshivas. ' All his claims that he supposedly cares about the Torah world are nothing but empty words.'

Haredi Degel Hatorah to veto death sentence for terrorists

Bill to sentence terrorists to death expected to be brought for vote, as Ashkenazic-haredi party announces opposition, abstention.

Degel Hatorah debates Draft Law as coalition hangs in the balance

Sources estimate that Shas party will support Draft Law - but only if Lithuanian-haredi leadership does as well. 'All eyes are on Lithuanian leadership in Bnei Brak.'

Haredi source calls Draft Law proposal 'nonsense'

Senior Agudat Yisrael source slams leaked proposal for Draft Law as 'political fabrication,' warns proposed quotas and sanctions on yeshiva students are 'unrealistic.'

Haredi parties to support bill to split Attorney General position

Haredi parties agree to back bill to split Attorney General's role, in exchange for support on a different bill.

Agudat Yisrael split fuels haredi newspaper debate

Haredi MKs split on bill for security budget, Agudat Yisrael MKs in disagreement over rabbis' instructions.

Goldknopf threatens

'Israel will be without haredim if they are drafted'

United Torah Judaism Party chairman says the haredi community would leave Israel entirely if they are faced with a mandatory IDF draft, tells religious Zionists who serve, 'don't transfer your pain to me.'

Internal pressure on haredi parties to vote for sovereignty

Arutz Sheva learns Beitar Illit Mayor Meir Rubinstein and Modi’in Illit Mayor Yaakov Guterman actively working to persuade haredi MKs to support proposal for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

UTJ Accuses Shas:

'Deri is mocking the Council of Torah Sages'

The United Torah Judaism claimed that the Shas chairman had deceived the Rabbis by keeping his party in the coalition.

'War against Torah learners'

Gafni and Smotrich trade blows over haredi conscription

Gafni accuses religious Zionists of waging war on Torah learners; Smotrich fires back, urging him to witness their sacrifice and spirit.

After haredi parties quit gov't:

Netanyahu facing demands to appoint new ministers

Following Shas and United Torah Judaism's withdrawal from the government, Likud ministers are requesting upgraded roles, other coalition partners are requesting the evacuated positions.

Media exposes internal haredi rift

As UTJ exits coalition, internal tensions within haredi bloc resurface as divide deepens between Gur-affiliated factions and the Shlomei Emunim alliance with Belz.

Haredi Party Official:

Draft law is the 'final solution to the world of Torah'

Motke Bloy, a senior figure in the Degel Hatorah faction, claimed in an interview that the attempt to recruit Haredim is reminiscent of the Nazis' Final Solution.

Draft Law crisis

Haredi parties: Edelstein has deceived us

Shas and United Torah Judaism issue a joint statement against MK Yuli Edelstein: "He’s playing a political game at the expense of those who serve, causing a severe rift in the national camp."

Haredi officials: 'We may work to bring down the government'

Haredi leaders warn they may back efforts to topple the government unless a new conscription bill aligned with pre-war agreements is submitted, blaming MK Edelstein for breaching deals.

UTJ leaves coalition

'The Draft Law presented deviates from what was agreed upon'

After no agreements were reached regarding the wording of the Draft Law, the rabbis of Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael instruct their representatives in the Knesset to resign from all their coalition positions.

UTJ refuses to vote to expel Odeh from Knesset

The United Torah Judaism party has announced that its Knesset members will abstain from the vote in the Knesset plenum regarding the expulsion of MK Ayman Odeh. The right responded with anger.

Senior Coalition Member:

'Deri is breaking the government, it will cost him in elections'

The coalition accused Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri of trying to disband the government while blaming it on the UTJ party.

United Torah Judaism threatens to bolt gov't over Draft Law delay

United Torah Judaism intensifies protest over the delay in advancing Draft Law, threatens to withdraw from government, potentially taking Shas with it.

Haredi parties boycott votes, coalition withdraws all legislation

Following the announcement from the haredi parties that they would boycott the Knesset votes until the Draft Law is presented, the coalition withdrew all the laws that were on the agenda.

Haredi parties to boycott vote for new minister?

Haredi MKs warn of escalating boycott if no progress made on Draft Law, though questions arise regarding vote to approve MK Israel Eichler’s appointment as minister.

Netanyahu appoints MK Eichler as Housing Minister

Prime Minister Netanyahu decides to appoint MK Israel Eichler as Minister of Construction and Housing. If MK Yitzhak Goldknopf chooses to return to the government, the portfolio will be restored to him.

The haredi MK's late-night rescue mission

MK Roth and Israeli diplomats intervene to rescue stranded families at Jordanian border after flight delays.

Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf resigns from government

Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf (United Torah Judaism) submitted his resignation from his position as Minister of Construction and Housing, amid allegations of failures to meet coalition commitments on the conscription and Torah study law.

Ahead of Knesset dissolution: Pessimism among haredi parties

After the meetings of the haredi parties with the Knesset's legal advisors, the gaps between the parties are still large. "Netanyahu is still not engaged."

A day to the vote: Netanyahu fighting to keep coalition intact

With dissolution vote imminent, Netanyahu scrambles to avert elections as haredi support hinges on IDF draft exemption impasse.

Rabbis decide:

Degel HaTorah members to vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset

Rabbi Dov Lando and Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch determine that representatives of Degel HaTorah will vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset on Wednesday.

UTJ: No coalition exit without full rabbinic backing

As tensions rise over stalled Draft Law, senior UTJ figure says no move will be made without agreement from all party rabbis. 'Symbolic withdrawal is pointless.'

UTJ's Pindrus imposes media ban over leaks

United Torah Judaism MK Yitzhak Pindrus announces media blackout for party members, banning interviews with outlets that published leaks from internal meetings.

Haredi parties boycott Knesset votes over yeshiva draft crisis

UTJ vows to continue boycott until draft issue is resolved, as Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara orders conscription notices for tens of thousands of haredi men starting in July.

Knesset Showdown:

Haredi parties extend boycott of coalition votes over draft law

United Torah Judaism and Shas are continuing their boycott of Knesset votes this week, escalating a coalition crisis over the stalled legislation to exempt yeshiva students from military service.

Likud MK:

'Likud is not a doormat'

Likud MK Dan Illouz criticized the haredi parties for their demands that Likud support all their legislation.

MKs denounce investigation of Rabbis

Haredi MKs denounced National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for allowing Rabbis to be questioned about illegal construction.

'Ungrateful'

Haredi MK attacks religious Zionist minister

UTJ's Moshe Gafni lambasted Minister Ofir Sofer for participating in a march calling for haredi conscription. 'He's a minister thanks to us.'

'We'll die and not enlist'

Housing Minister filmed dancing to anti-Zionist song

Construction and Housing Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf was filmed at a relative's wedding dancing to a song against the state of Israel and the IDF. He later disavowed the incident as fellow ministers called for his ouster.

Religious Affairs Minister:

If Goldknopf's rabbis told him to leave gov't - he should do it

Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli reveals 'near-complete coordination' between Shas, Degel Hatorah, says failure to make progress on Draft Law due to interference by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Haredi MK: This is why UTJ won't join the Left

MK Yitzhak Pindrus explains why the haredi United Torah Judaism party will not join aleft-wing government. 'Our rabbis gave a clear instruction.'

'Government will remain stable'

Degel Hatorah rejects Deri and Smotrich's threats

Despite threats of elections if draft law is not passed within two months, Deputy Minister Uri Maklev says the government has overcome many challenges and will remain stable.

Religious Zionism Party Chairman:

'What audacity? We are the ones who are going to fight and die.'

Religious Zionism Party Chairman Yehuda Wald launches attack on Haredi parties after they announce their support for PM in second phase of hostage deal.

'We'll force a halt'

Haredi MKs oppose advancing judicial reform

Faction leaders from the United Torah Judaism party say they won't allow the judicial reform to proceed unless the Draft Law is passed.

Haredi source:

'Better for Netanyahu to cancel trip than desecrate Shabbat'

Better for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel his scheduled UN speech than to fly back to Israel on Shabbat, source in haredi United Torah Judaism party says.

Haredi MK: We may need to leave the coalition

'Eliminating daycare subsidies for yeshiva students' children may force haredi parties to leave the coalition,' MK Israel Eichler warns.

Haredi minister:

'If there weren't a war right now, we'd leave the government'

Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, United Torah Judaism chief, toughens stance after progress on Draft Law stalls.