PM Binyamin Netanyahu discussed the coalition crisis with a number of ministers overnight Monday, telling them that he intends to bring to a vote a law requiring "civilian service" of anyone not drafted to the IDF, Army Radio reported.
The ministers Netanyahu met with included Avigdor Liberman, Eli Yishai, Daniel Herschkowitz, and Yaacov Litzman, as well as MK Moshe Gafni. He is set to meet with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday.
Kadima has threatened to quit the coalition if the recommendations of the Keshev Committee, tasked with replacing the Tal Law on haredi military service, are not adopted. Netanyahu dissolved the committee on Monday after Yisrael Beytenu, Habayit Hayehudi and haredi representative quit, saying that the committee would not have any chance of passing its findings in the Knesset.
Liberman on Tuesday reiterated his party's position that "every Israeli that reaches 18 must be drafted either to the army or the civilian service." In an interview with Army Radio, Liberman dismissed suggestions that haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) should be allowed to defer their draft for several years, saying their entry should not be postponed, "not for two months and not for two days."
Noting that Israel's population includes 18,000 draft-eligible Arabs to its 8,000 haredim, Liberman stressed that Arab Israelis must serve as well. Asked how he would react if Israel's Arabs demanded equality of services from the government before having service thrust upon them, Liberman responded that anyone who claims Arabs aren't equal "is talking nonsense."
Yishai defended his Shas party's position on the Keshev Committee, saying that most Israelis support at least a large segment of the haredi community studying in yeshivas instead of joining the IDF. Speaking to Israel Radio, Yishai said "Most Israelis don't think they're suckers for joining the army. They understand that those who study in yeshivas work very hard. Studying the torah is a legitimate way of serving the state."
Kadima MK Meir Sheetrit reiterated Mofaz's comments made Monday that the party will not stay in the coalition if the committee's recommendations are not adopted, adding that he regrets voting for May's unity government deal that brought Kadima into the coalition and prevented early elections.
Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) said that his party is not ready for compromise on an all-inclusive draft law. "I am not ready for anything," Litzman said in an interview to Army Radio. "I'm ready to accept that whoever wants to study will study, whoever doesn't will serve."
The national unity government formed by Netanyahu and Mofaz less than two months ago could break up as early as Wednesday if a solution is not found to their dispute over how to equalize the burden of IDF service.
Kadima MK Yohanan Plesner, who heads the Keshev Committee – tasked with finding a replacement for the “Tal Law” – intends to publish recommendations he promised would be historic on Wednesday, despite Netanyahu announcing that the committee has been dismantled.
Netanyahu has warned the haredim that if a compromise is not reached by August 1, when the Supreme Court ruled the Tal Law will be canceled, the IDF will be free to begin drafting yeshiva students.

By JPOST.COM STAFF. Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.

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