Speaking at a press
conference near Tel Aviv, Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz announced his
party's departure from the coalition, over failed attempts to agree on
an alternative to the law that exempts ultra-Orthodox men from serving
in the Israeli army.
"With great regret I must
say that there is no alternative but to retire from this government,"
said Mofaz. "This issue is fundamentally important to us. I was
determined to reach an understanding with Netanyahu, but we simply
cannot carry on."
Mofaz's decision was approved by his fellow Kadima members of the Knesset, with 25 in favor and three opposed.
"Tonight, Kadima has
decided to withdraw from the national unity government," Mofaz told
reporters after the meeting. "Netanyahu's proposal to draft
ultra-Orthodox men at the age of 26 does not stand at any moral
criteria. There will be no social justice without equal sharing of the
burden. We were prepared to make historical compromises, but there
cannot be a law without a duty of service and there can be no law
without personal responsibility."
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Kadima's departure from
the government comes just 70 days after it joined forces with Netanyahu,
providing him with an unprecedented power bloc of 94 out of 120 Knesset
members. If all members of Kadima follow Mofaz's decision, Netanyahu's
coalition will drop to a mere 66 members.
The law exempting most
yeshiva students from army service is due to expire at the end of this
month under a decision by Israel's high court. Yeshivas are schools
devoted to the study of religious texts like the Talmud.
Mofaz and Kadima have
been pushing for an assertive approach that would force most of the
ultra-Orthodox students to serve their country in the military or in
civil service. Netanyahu sought to solve the problem through consensus
with ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, but Kadima argued it would pull
out of the government if its demands that all Israelis serve equally
were not met.
Netanyahu's Likud party
has traditionally aligned with the ultra-Orthodox factions as coalition
partners. They have repeatedly threatened to pull their support of
Netanyahu should he adopt Kadima's position.
The Iranian-born Mofaz,
who is a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, became chairman of
Kadima in March when he defeated Tzipi Livni in a party leadership
contest, winning 62% of the votes to Livni's 38%.
Thousands of reservists
and secular citizens have rallied across Israel in recent weeks to
demand service for all and an equal distribution of the burden.
On Monday, thousands of
the ultra-Orthodox community members gathered on the streets of
Jerusalem to protest against the calls to draft their young men into the
Israeli Army. Marchers held banners reading, "We shall not join the
army of the enemy" and "We will never yield to the regime's decree."
Some of the children were handcuffed to each other.
Israeli Defense Minister
Ehud Barak said on Tuesday, following Kadima's announcement, that in
the absence of an alternative law, drafting of ultra-Orthodox men will
be extended starting next month.
"During the next three
months the Defense Ministry will formulate a temporary legislative
proposal to be submitted to the government and later to the Knesset
according to the just demand for equality in the burden. This will stay
in effect until permanent legislation provides a full response to the
issue".
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