Bennett closes the door — with whom there will be no coalition

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he will not form a coalition with ultra-Orthodox parties that support draft evasion. He called it an existential problem, noting that 15% of the population lives in a 'separate Haredi state.' Bennett also rejected Gadi Eisenkot's proposal to exempt 3% of conscripts for Torah study, calling it a 'crazy mistake.' Against this backdrop, 'Yahadut HaTorah' signals readiness to negotiate with any government that advances a draft exemption law.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the 'Together' party, said he categorically rules out forming a coalition with ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties if they insist on exemption from military service. 'The door is closed for anyone who supports draft evasion,' he stressed in an interview. Bennett called the problem strategic and existential, noting that already 15% of the population lives in a 'separate and detached Haredi state.' He also criticized the proposal by the leader of the 'Yashar!' party, Gadi Eisenkot, to exempt 3% of each conscription cohort for Torah study, saying it would effectively exempt about 30% of the Haredi conscription cohort (about 12,000 people). 'I consider this a crazy mistake,' Bennett said. The statement came amid signals from the 'Yahadut HaTorah' party about readiness to negotiate with any government that agrees to advance a draft exemption law. MK Yaakov Asher stressed that they are not rigidly tied to the Netanyahu bloc. Bennett also warned that such initiatives would lead to pressure from religious parties, citing the experience of 'four years of Haredi rule.'