After Historic Meeting, Gedolei Yisrael of UTJ Agree to Leave Coalition if Draft Bill Not Settled by Shavuos

The United Torah Judaism party will leave the coalition and topple the government if a solution to the draft issue is not reached by Shavuos, making good on ultimatum threats that have been reported recently, sources tell Belaaz’s Ben Yechezkeli.

The Gerrer Rebbe, shlita, and the Roshei Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, shlita, and HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita met Sunday in Bnei Brak in a historic meeting, after Rav Hirsch and the Belzer Rebbe spoke with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in separate phone calls. The meeting in Bnei Brak lasted approximately 25 minutes and was described as serious and resolute. The Gedolei Yisroel unanimously agreed to leave the government if a solution is not reached.

Netanyahu failed to convince the Gedolim to extend the deadline past Shavuos.

Last week, reports indicated that discussions with the rabbinic leadership had resulted in an agreement in principle: UTJ would vote in favor of the state budget this week but would issue a public ultimatum to the prime minister by Shavuos. The ultimatum stipulated that if the conscription law was not approved by then, the entire faction would withdraw from the coalition.

This proposal, originally introduced by MK Yitzhak Pindros, chairman of the United Torah Judaism faction, had been refined over the past few weeks. Once finalized, it received the approval of the rabbis and became known as the “Pindaros Outline.”

Meanwhile, as reported by Behadrei Haredim, on Motzei Shabbos, a messenger from the Belzer Rebbe shlira —Rabbi Elyakim Stark, chairman of the political committee of the Chasidish faction —visited Harav Hirsch’s home. During the meeting, he conveyed the Belzer Rebbe’s position on the handling of the conscription law.

The Rosh Yeshiva listened carefully and requested that his own messages regarding the draft law be conveyed through the messenger. The following morning, Rabbi Stark relayed these messages to the Rebbe at his residence.

Subsequently, a rare telephone conversation took place between the Rebbe and Harav Hirsch.

Later in the day, Netanyahu and Harav Hirscb held a telephone conversation in English. Netanyahu also spoke with the Rebbe, and together they discussed the progress of the conscription law and the upcoming votes on the state budget.