Netanyahu is in deep trouble: Can he wiggle out of it?

The political crisis has reached its peak. Leaders of the ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian community, Rabbis Dov Landau and Moshe Hillel Hirsch, refused to meet today (Wednesday) with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the conscription law, stating that “there is no point in further talks.” The two are expected to convene later today and make a final decision on dissolving the government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will meet this evening with Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein to address the crisis. Meanwhile, the Shas faction held a meeting in Jerusalem, and its Knesset members are expected to support dissolving the Knesset.

According to a statement from Rabbi Hirsch’s residence this morning, the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox factions are likely to declare their withdrawal from the coalition today, citing “no progress whatsoever on the conscription issue.” This follows the failure of negotiations between ultra-Orthodox representatives and Edelstein, who is responsible for drafting the conscription law and insists on imposing sanctions, if necessary, on yeshiva students who do not enlist. At Rabbi Landau’s residence, the message was even more resolute, with the rabbi expressing support for dissolving the Knesset.

The meeting between the ultra-Orthodox representatives and Edelstein, which continued late into the night, yielded no results.

Sources close to Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, head of the United Torah Judaism faction, criticized Edelstein and Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs, accusing them of failing to advance the talks and engaging in a “time-wasting” effort. In recent discussions, the ultra-Orthodox proposed a shortened conscription period of one and a half years for their community, which Edelstein firmly rejected.

Prior to the meeting, Netanyahu had a brief sidebar conversation with Edelstein in the Knesset plenum. Kan 11's Yaara Shapira reported yesterday that Netanyahu asked Edelstein, “What’s happening with the law?” Edelstein responded that “there are difficulties.” Netanyahu pressed him, saying, “We must move forward with this; it’s urgent.”

Within the Likud, there is an understanding that the current political crisis is likely to lead to the government’s dissolution. Knesset member and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee member Hanoch Milwidsky addressed the ultra-Orthodox threats this morning, stating they are indeed serious. “Many people don’t understand the storm in the ultra-Orthodox community, which began with the cessation of daycare subsidies. For them, this is a dramatic blow to Torah scholars, and there’s significant pressure on ultra-Orthodox Knesset members. Anyone with some insight into the matter understands how serious this is.”

Last night, Kan News reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering ousting Edelstein from his position to buy time in talks with the ultra-Orthodox regarding the conscription law. Minister Amichai Chikli rejected these claims this morning in an interview with Aryeh Golan on Kan Reshet Bet’s “This Morning,” saying there is no intention to remove Edelstein from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairmanship. “Edelstein has broad support in the Likud. We need to advance a meaningful conscription law that will lead to widespread ultra-Orthodox enlistment.”