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JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Yair Golan, the leader of Israel's Democratic Party and a former senior military officer, has renewed his criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of corruption and sacrificing soldiers and workers to remain in power.

Golan's remarks came after Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu has instructed his government to prepare the 2026 state budget by August. The move is viewed as an attempt to placate ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties that have threatened to leave the coalition over the military draft law.

“This is a bribe. While the soldiers and reservists are being sent to Gaza, Netanyahu is looting their tax money and bribing the evading ultra-Orthodox with it,” Golan wrote on X.

He added that Netanyahu is “an abandoned, corrupt, and failed prime minister who sacrifices servants and workers just to hold on to his seat.”

Golan pledged to replace Netanyahu, saying: “We will ensure conscription for everyone. And a country that respects those who carry it on their backs.”

The Haredi parties in the coalition—Shas and United Torah Judaism—have long opposed mandatory military service for religious school students. They have threatened to exit the government if the new draft law is passed.

Channel 12 reported that the proposed 2026 budget does not resolve the draft crisis but instead allocates financial compensation to ultra-Orthodox factions to calm internal tensions.

The draft law, being prepared by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Yuli Edelstein, is expected to be submitted after the Shavuot holiday in early June.

According to the report, Netanyahu aims to pass the budget early in order to secure additional funding for the Haredi parties and maintain coalition unity. Golan described the move as an attempt to “buy political loyalty” using public funds.

The ultra-Orthodox community has been protesting the draft law since the Israeli Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 2024, that they must enlist. The ruling also bars financial support for religious institutions whose students refuse to serve.

Haredim account for about 13% of Israel’s 10 million citizens. They oppose military service on religious grounds, arguing that studying the Torah is their primary duty and that integration into secular society threatens their religious identity and community cohesion.

For decades, Haredi men have received repeated draft deferments on the basis of religious studies until they reach the exemption age, currently set at 26.

The opposition has accused Netanyahu of attempting to pass legislation exempting Haredim from service to satisfy coalition partners Shas and United Torah Judaism and avoid a government collapse.

Golan, known for his outspoken criticism of Netanyahu, previously sparked controversy by accusing the government of “killing Palestinian children as a hobby”—a statement that drew condemnation from both the government and the opposition.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against defenseless civilians in the enclave.