Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, who heads the United Torah Judaism party, has warned that if the Draft Law does not pass soon, elections will be held this summer.

In an article in the Hamodia newspaper, Goldknopf was quoted as telling his party, "We have reached the moment of truth. We were all sent here for one purpose: To increase the honor of G-d. The peak of our mission has been defined: To represent the haredi community and the Torah learners."

He added: "If you would ask every one of us two years ago, 'Would we sit in a coalition which cancels the budget for yeshivas?' the answer would have been clear: No. Would we sit in a coalition which cancels subsidies for daycares? Again, the answer would have been no. If you would continue to ask whether we would sit in a coalition that threatened Torah learners and yeshiva students, the answer would have been clear: No, and no."

Regarding the delays in enacting the Draft Law, he said, "The law to regulate the status of those 'whose Torah learning is their occupation' should have happened even before the government was formed, alongside other personal laws which were proposed at the request of other parties in the coalition."

"We and our demand were rejected. Every time we received another excuse for the delay, they said that it would happen after the formation of the government, after the [judicial] reform, after the budget, after the war. In the meantime, on the issues close to their hearts, the coalition parties have returned to normal routine. We are the only ones who continue to be kicked around."

Turning to his party members, he said, "I ask today that there be a unified opinion among us, that the Prime Minister or anyone in the coalition will not be able to split us apart. We must come to him together with one demand, in full coordination: Either we fight, or we give in - but together. We have tried in various ways to bring the Prime Minister to a situation in which he will use all of his weight so that the law that is close to every one of us, and what is meaningful to him, will be passed."

"We had some successes: [Yoav] Gallant, who was Defense Minister and put sticks in the wheels, has been replaced; the discussions in the Committee began; but it is not enough, and we still do not have a law. We must work with full and tight cooperation.

"We have two options: Either we delay the Draft Law and hold elections in the summer, or we insist on the Draft Law before the budget, and the government lives out its days.

"Obviously, we will not do anything on our own, without first asking the advice of the rabbis and Torah sages with whose power we work, and whatever they advise - we will do exactly that. Personally, prior to their decision, I believe that we must choose the second option, which dictates passing the Draft Law which will regulate the status of yeshiva students, and only then will the government live out its days."

"We all know deep down - and this is what we must explain to the wider public: If the budget passes before the Draft Law, the Draft Law will never be passed."