Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
18 July 2025 | 09:52 CAT

FILE PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, next to Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on the day of a vote over possible expulsion of Ayman Odeh from parliament, in Jerusalem, July 14, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again navigating turbulent political waters as two ultra-Orthodox parties, most notably Shas, exit his governing coalition over military draft exemptions. However, despite this dramatic move, they continue to back him in Parliament, leaving many to question whether the departure is symbolic or a sign of deeper fractures.

“This crisis around military enlistment is nothing new,” says Israeli activist Ofer Neiman from Boycott from Within. “For years, we’ve had this strange arrangement that allows quite a few ultra-Orthodox youths to postpone or even skip military service entirely.” According to Neiman, the roots of this exemption trace back to the Holocaust, when a temporary agreement in the 1950s allowed a small group of yeshiva students to avoid enlistment. But today, the numbers have ballooned, and public resentment is growing.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), or as Neiman starkly refers to them, the “Israeli Genocide Forces,” are reportedly in dire need of new recruits amid the ongoing war in Gaza. “The Israeli military is really now in dire shortage of troops,” he adds. “They don’t have enough troops to carry out their mission, which is a good thing from my perspective, but most Israelis would disagree.”

Although the coalition is now technically in the minority, Netanyahu remains at the helm at least for the time being. “It’s unlikely the ultra-Orthodox parties will vote to topple the government,” Neiman explains. “Ideologically, they are still aligned with Netanyahu.”

However, the political magician appears to be losing his charm. “He’s been losing in the polls since October 2023,” says Neiman. “Despite attempts to rally support, including the failed attack on Iran, his options are dwindling.”

Analysts now speculate whether Netanyahu will call early elections or cling to power for as long as possible. As international pressure mounts, especially regarding the war in Gaza, and domestic unrest festers, the future of Israel’s leadership hangs in the balance.

“He seems to have run out of magic tricks,” says Neiman. And with the coalition shaken and no clear successor in sight, the Israeli political landscape could be heading for more than just another election.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Juanid Kharsany and Ofer Neiman.