Coalition talks at a crossroads as Eisenkot, Netanyahu battle for haredi parties

Gadi Eisenkot has intensified efforts in recent days to bring United Torah Judaism (UTJ) into the government he is seeking to form, but informal negotiations remain far from an agreement, primarily over the military conscription law and guarantees demanded by the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties.At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to persuade the haredi parties not to cross over, while Eisenkot is preparing to resume negotiations with Likud during the coming week and hold talks with the Religious Zionist Party.One of the central issues occupying the haredi parties is the guarantees they would receive that commitments made to them would be honored after the government is sworn in.The negotiations are taking place against a tight deadline. Eisenkot has approximately three weeks remaining to complete the formation of a government, with the option of requesting an additional 14-day extension from the president.Within the Eisenkot-led bloc, concerns remain that prolonged negotiations could let Netanyahu derail the effort and force another election.Members of the Eisenkot-led bloc fear that negotiations and concessions to the haredi parties could become public, only for those parties to return to Netanyahu's camp at the last moment.On the haredi side, there are concerns that promises to resolve the conscription issue will not be fulfilled because of legal difficulties that may arise after the government is established.…