The rabbinic leadership of the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction concluded a key meeting in Jerusalem on the proposed ultra-Orthodox military conscription bill without issuing any public decision, leaving their lawmakers and the broader political landscape in uncertainty. This unexpected silence comes as the government seeks to pass new legislation that would largely exempt most ultra-Orthodox men from military service, a move facing strong opposition from both political rivals and some coalition members.

Sources indicate that while the rabbis may have reached an internal decision, they are choosing not to disclose it, possibly to allow the bill to advance without openly supporting sanctions on draft evaders. The ongoing debate is heightened by recent court pressure on the government to implement sanctions and the looming threat of the bill failing in the Knesset, where 60 lawmakers currently oppose it.

The issue is further complicated by the Shas party's ultimatum to withhold support for the 2026 state budget unless the conscription bill passes first, putting additional pressure on the government and raising the possibility of early elections if the budget is not approved by the March 31 deadline.