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Shas and the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party say anyone who wants to study Torah full-time should be exempt from army service.

Their opposition to a proposed new bill to increase ultra-Orthodox army conscription is a problem for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who also needs the support of the Yisrael Beitenu party to form a governing majority. Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman has insisted that the new conscription bill must be adopted or he won’t join the next government.

Shas and UTJ set out their demands in coalition talks with Likud yesterday. They also demanded that no public works be carried out on Saturdays. United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni said: “It pains my heart to say this, for we all love this coalition. Fifty percent of the people said that it wants more tradition, to eject Yisrael Beiteinu, and we will stand by that. The negotiations can be brief and we will sign, or they can be long and we won’t.” United Torah Judaism leader Yaakov Litzman said: “We will stand up for the issues that affect us. Netanyahu will have to solve the matter of passing the draft bill. That’s his problem.” The party has also demanded a NIS 250 million increase in the health budget, with Litzman continuing in his role as Deputy Health Minister.

Likud minister Yariv Levin said: “It takes patience to negotiate with multiple sides. It won’t be done between today and tomorrow. You have to try to clarify things as far in advance as possible. We promised the voters that we would form a right-wing government based on the current one.”

Oded Forrer of Yisrael Beitenu defended the party following Gafni’s remarks, writing on Facebook that his party is: “For Jewish tradition and for a right-wing, nationalist government, but we will strongly oppose a halachic state. We believe in a tolerant Judaism … we are asking to promote matters that the prime minister said that he supports in the past. We will not allow religious coercion in the next right-wing government.”

Haaretz reported on rumours that Likud are seeking an alternative to Yisrael Beitenu joining the coalition by trying to lure former Likud loyalists in the Blue and White party to defect and join the government.