United Torah Judaism Considers Supporting Gadi Eizenkot Amid Draft Exemption Dispute

United Torah Judaism (UTJ), a major ultra-Orthodox political faction in Israel, is reportedly shifting its political stance amid escalating tensions over the military draft exemption for yeshiva students. Traditionally aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu and the right-wing bloc, cracks have appeared within the ultra-Orthodox community regarding this alliance. According to a report by Channel 13 on Tuesday, UTJ leader Moshe Gafni recently met with Gadi Eizenkot, former IDF Chief of Staff and head of the "Yisrael" party, signaling a potential change in political direction.

Within UTJ, some members believe that the exemption from military service will not be granted by Netanyahu, prompting internal debate. Political activist Moti Babchik is advocating for UTJ to break away from the right-wing bloc entirely. Meanwhile, Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party, has voiced strong opposition to this potential shift. Shas MK Yitzhak Ben-Tzur sharply criticized the move, labeling Eizenkot as "a full-fledged leftist" and affirming that Shas will not align with left-wing parties.

This development highlights growing divisions within the ultra-Orthodox political camp as the draft exemption crisis intensifies. The coming weeks may see further realignments as parties weigh their strategies ahead of future coalition negotiations and legislative battles over the draft law.