UTJ and Shas to Boycott Coalition Votes Over Draft Law Delay: “We Won’t Sit in a Government That Makes Bnei Torah Into Criminals”

UTJ and Shas to Boycott Coalition Votes Over Draft Law Delay: “We Won’t Sit in a Government That Makes Bnei Torah Into Criminals”

A major rift has erupted within Israeli PM Netanyahu’s governing coalition as both United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas have announced they will boycott all coalition votes beginning Wednesday, in protest of the government’s continued failure to pass legislation formally exempting yeshiva bochurim from military conscription. The decision was made during UTJ’s weekly faction meeting on Monday, with Hebrew media reporting that Shas has joined the m…