Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ehud Barak's public standing is taking another blow this week, with his championing of legislation to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from army service, writes David Horovitz. It is a stance entirely opposite to the one he adopted on this issue during his election campaign last year.
Late on Monday night, thanks to Mr Barak's backing, the Knesset passed the first reading of legislation that will allow thousands of ultra-Orthodox men to go on studying Jewish texts full-time, rather than joining the rest of Israeli youth in compulsory military service. Argument over this issue has long been ferocious. Mr Barak had promised last year, when running for election, to "draft the ultra-Orthodox". His about turn is a function of coalition politics: he dare not alienate ultra-Orthodox politicians, on whose support his majority depends, in the run-up to a hoped-for peace deal with the Palestinians.
The price, though, is the alienation of his secular voters.
Many in his own party have protested to Mr Barak that Monday's vote will cost them in future elections. The prime minister's own popularity is diving - because there's no breakthrough with the Palestinians; his constant coalition machinations; the perception that he caves in to the ultra-Orthodox; and his failure to resolve a doctors' strike.