Religious right will hold Israel's coalition hostage

Significance

The disagreement was over a draft law extending ultra-Orthodox students’ exemption from military service, which nationalist politicians reject as unfair. This is part of a broader trend of placating the religious right, which increasingly pits the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu against the broader Israeli public, the Jewish diaspora, Muslim neighbours and the international community.

Impacts

• Resolving the conscription issue should allow speedy passage of the 2019 budget.
• Netanyahu’s coalition partners may use the corruption investigations to extort further benefits from the premier while he remains in power.
• As a centrist, Kulanu party chair Moshe Kahlon could be the ‘kingmaker’ for a future government.