Ultra-Orthodox parties in Israel courted by Netanyahu and Eisenkot

Less than 24 hours after consultations began in Israel, no bloc has secured enough support to form a government following the October 27 elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received backing from all coalition parties except United Torah Judaism, which is being courted by both Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot. The ultra-Orthodox party holds 7 seats, and opposition leader Avigdor Liberman has ruled out agreements with Netanyahu or Arab parties but not with the haredim. United Torah Judaism represents Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox Jews, while its counterpart Shas represents Sephardic Jews, together serving a community of about 1.5 million people. Both parties prioritize exemption from military service for religious students, a contentious issue after the Supreme Court ruled the exemption illegal two years ago. The party may choose to recommend neither candidate to preserve negotiating leverage, though Eisenkot would likely need to offer concessions on conscription and budget issues.