Loss of Coalition Partner for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
Israel's political landscape is in flux following the resignation of several ministers from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. The resignations, effective in 48 hours, have left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition hanging by a thread, with the potential for a minority government or a new election on the horizon.
The Shas party, with 11 seats, has announced its resignation from all government positions, but not from parliament. Seven ministers and deputy ministers, including Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and Health Minister Uriel Buso, will step down. However, the party has not completely disassociated itself from the ruling factions in parliament, leaving a glimmer of hope for a potential compromise.
The crux of the issue lies in the conscription of ultra-religious men in Israel. The ultra-Orthodox community demands legislation that would exempt yeshiva students from military service, a demand that has deep divisions within the coalition. While the Shas party and other ultra-Orthodox parties push for urgent legislation, other coalition partners, like Likud's Yuli Edelstein, oppose concessions that might undermine the IDF's needs.
The Council of Torah Sages has warned that if no legislation is passed by October, coalition unity may collapse, further pressuring the government to address the conscription exemptions. The government faces a delicate balance between meeting the IDF's requirements and catering to the ultra-Orthodox community's demands, a challenge that could lead to further political instability.
The recent withdrawals by both Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) have reduced Netanyahu's coalition to a narrow majority. Should Shas fully exit, the government could fall below the majority threshold, potentially triggering new elections. Meanwhile, other parties, like Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism, are seeking to capitalize on the situation by demanding key government positions, adding to the political tension within the coalition.
During the summer of 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into the military. However, many affected individuals are currently ignoring draft notices sent by the army, and ultra-Orthodox Jews view military service as a threat to their religious lifestyle.
Many Israelis feel that the exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service are unfair, and the ongoing crisis has sparked debate and frustration among the general public. The upcoming three-month summer recess of parliament, starting at the end of July, may provide an opportunity for Netanyahu to resolve the crisis with the ultra-Orthodox parties and prevent a potential election.
In June, the opposition failed to force a new election by dissolving parliament, but the current situation has led opposition leader Jair Lapid to declare that Israel now has a minority government. The fate of Netanyahu's coalition remains uncertain, with the potential for a compromise, a minority government, or new elections on the horizon.
The Shas party's resignation from government positions over the controversial policy-and-legislation surrounding conscription of ultra-religious men in Israel has led to a political crisis, causing a potential shift in policy-and-legislation within the coalition. The ongoing dispute has sparked general-news debates and frustration among Israelis due to the perceived unfairness of the exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service.
