UTJ MK Pindrus Sets Strict Draft Law Ultimatum for Future Coalition Participation
MK Yitzhak Pindrus stated United Torah Judaism will not join a government without a draft law. He criticized past allies and voiced strict opposition to military integration.
MK Yitzhak Pindrus of United Torah Judaism has issued a stark warning regarding the coalition's future, stating that his party will not join any government led by Benjamin Netanyahu without a formal military draft exemption law for ultra-Orthodox youth.
The Draft Law as a Red Line
In an interview with Avraham Freund for the "Mishpacha" newspaper, Pindrus criticized past complacency within the ultra-Orthodox leadership. He noted that the faction had allowed itself to be taken for granted amidst the polarizing national debate over Benjamin Netanyahu's political survival. "We put this at the top of our priorities. This is the single issue right now, and a government will rise or fall on it," Pindrus declared.
When asked if he could guarantee that a young ultra-Orthodox man would not face arrest as a draft dodger within a year or two, Pindrus admitted there are no absolute assurances, but emphasized resilience. He voiced strong frustration with former political allies who blocked previous legislative efforts: "Yuli Edelstein played us, and on a personal level I felt cheated. Gallant was a painful and very strange story. In the end, that entire group has disappeared from Israeli politics for now."
Reflection on Judicial Reform and Coalition Partners
Reflecting on the previous government's legislative agenda, Pindrus suggested that the fierce confrontation over the judicial overhaul was ill-advised in hindsight, noting that senior Torah sages had reservations about the frontal assault that sparked widespread protests.
Addressing alternative moderate ultra-Orthodox factions advocating for military service and secular integration, Pindrus rejected the premise. He maintained that assimilation into mainstream Israeli culture threatens the very survival of ultra-Orthodox identity. Additionally, Pindrus attributed some of the previous coalition's legislative misfortunes to divine displeasure, pointing to the election of Amir Ohana as Knesset Speaker as a decision made without the explicit approval of Torah elders.
