Israel's leader, Netanyahu, suffers a significant setback as another crucial alliance member departs from his ruling coalition
In a significant political shift, the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties have announced their departures from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government. This development has reduced the government to a minority coalition in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.
The resignations, expected to take effect soon, will leave Netanyahu's coalition with only 50 seats in the 120-seat parliament. This reduction in parliamentary majority could potentially weaken the government's political stability.
The main cause of the split appears to be a proposed law that would enshrine broad military draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. Key lawmakers have stood in the way of giving the ultra-Orthodox a law they can get behind, prompting their exit from the coalition.
For years, thousands of ultra-Orthodox men have been exempted from military service due to a decades-old arrangement. This exemption has been a contentious issue, with most Jewish Israelis viewing it as unfair and generous government stipends granted to these men who study instead of work throughout adulthood.
On the other hand, the ultra-Orthodox argue that their men are serving the country by studying sacred Jewish texts and preserving centuries' old tradition. They see their exemption as a necessary part of maintaining their unique cultural identity.
Netanyahu's coalition has been trying to find a path forward on a new law regarding military draft exemptions, but his base is largely opposed to granting sweeping draft exemptions. The departure of Shas and United Torah Judaia leaves Netanyahu with a challenging task of shoring up his coalition before the Knesset reconvenes in the fall, as currently scheduled for October 2026.
It's important to note that the political instability comes at a pivotal time for Israel, as negotiations with Hamas on a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza are ongoing. However, Shas' decision is not expected to derail these talks.
Shas has stated that they will not undermine Netanyahu's coalition from the outside and could vote with it on some legislation. This could potentially provide some stability in the short term, but the long-term future of Netanyahu's government remains uncertain.
[1] A minority coalition in the Knesset refers to a government that holds less than half of the seats in the parliament. In this case, Netanyahu's coalition holds 50 seats out of a total of 120.
[1] Seattle's city government is planning to introduce a policy-and-legislation change regarding general news, affecting the local politics.[2] The proposed legislation involves altering the current policy that exempts certain individuals from military service, a contentious issue similar to the ultra-Orthodox community's exemption in Israel.[3] This policy shift in Seattle mirrors the recent political upheaval in Israel, as it might incur opposition from significant lawmakers, potentially leading to political instability.
