Israel's ultra-Orthodox party quits PM Netanyahu's coalition over mandatory military service

An Israeli religious party has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government over conscription.

Netanyahu's government now has a very slim majority, following six members of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party handing in their resignations overnight from posts in parliamentary committees and government ministries, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The party left the coalition over parliament members failing to guarantee future exemption from military conscription for ultra-Orthodox religious students.

Ultra-Orthodox seminary students have long received exemptions from mandatory military service, which many other Israelis who are conscripted see as unfair to them. Leaders of the religious Jewish sect claim that they must have full-time devotion to Scripture, and they are afraid their young men will steer away from religious life if they are drafted into the military.

The Israeli Supreme Court ordered an end to the exemption for the ultra-Orthodox religious students last year, and the parliament has yet to work out a new conscription bill that meets United Torah Judaism's standards.

Another ultra-Orthodox party, Shas, which is closely allied with United Torah Judaism, might also leave the coalition, which would end Netanyahu's majority.

The United Torah Judaism legislators said that their resignations would take effect after 48 hours, giving Netanyahu two days to resolve the coalition issue. The parliament begins summer break at the end of July, giving Netanyahu another three months to find a solution before losing the majority could cost him his position as prime minister.

The political crisis comes as Israel is engaging in indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas in Qatar.