Former Likud Ministers Form Party Opposing Ultra-Orthodox Exemptions

Former Likud cabinet ministers Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein launched a new political party on Thursday dedicated to opposing military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews. The breakaway party has pledged to refuse membership in any future government that includes ultra-Orthodox representatives, directly challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of relying on those parties to maintain his governing coalition.

A Channel 13 television poll conducted Wednesday suggests the new party may fail to enter parliament independently. However, the poll indicates the party could siphon enough votes to reduce Likud to 20 seats. This potential decline would place Netanyahu behind centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party, which the poll predicts would secure 23 seats in the October 27 election.