Netanyahu's coalition partner exits Israeli government
Following the resignation of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party's ministers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government on July 16, 2025, the Israeli political landscape has become unstable but not yet catastrophic for the coalition. The Shas party, which holds 11 ministerial positions, has quit their posts in protest of the government's failure to protect the military service exemption for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews. However, Shas has declared it will remain part of the ruling coalition, meaning Netanyahu currently still holds a narrow working majority in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
This resignation comes shortly after the United Torah Judaism (UTJ), the other ultra-Orthodox party with seven seats, had already quit the government in response to a new proposed conscription bill perceived as violating agreements protecting exemptions for yeshiva students (Torah scholars). With UTJ gone, Netanyahu's coalition majority shrank to the bare minimum of 61 seats. If Shas follows through with a full withdrawal from the coalition, his majority would collapse, likely leading to a minority government or new elections—the sixth in just over five years.
The core issue driving this crisis is the Supreme Court's June 2024 ruling that there is no legal basis to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service, which traditionally allowed Torah students to avoid conscription. Political pressure and legislation attempts to enforce fuller conscription have deeply angered the ultra-Orthodox parties, which view this as persecution of Torah scholars and a violation of prior political agreements.
For now, Shas is using its resignation from ministerial positions as leverage to push back against conscription reform without immediately toppling the government. The government can continue functioning in a diminished capacity, especially given the upcoming Knesset recess starting July 27, which allows time for behind-the-scenes negotiations. But the dispute threatens Netanyahu's coalition stability and could precipitate new elections if unresolved.
In summary, the Israeli government remains in a fragile minority situation following the ultra-Orthodox Shas ministers' resignation from their posts, but with the party stopping short of leaving Netanyahu's coalition entirely, the immediate collapse has been averted. The conscription dispute over exemptions for Torah students remains the pivotal conflict shaping the coalition's future.
If a compromise on a draft law for conscription is reached, the ultra-Orthodox parties could rejoin the government coalition. Seven ministers and deputy ministers from the Shas party, including Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and Health Minister Uriel Buso, will resign. The dispute over conscripting more ultra-Orthodox men into military service caused the collapse of the governing coalition in 2018. The army has warned of a severe shortage of combat soldiers due to the long war against the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Many Israelis feel that it is unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews are exempt from military service and dangerous combat missions, while Men in Israel must serve three years of mandatory military service, while women serve two years.
References: [1] Haaretz. (2025, July 16). Shas ministers resign from Netanyahu's government. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-shas-ministers-resign-from-netanyahu-s-government-1.9268853 [2] Times of Israel. (2025, July 16). Shas resigns from Netanyahu's government, leaving coalition with razor-thin majority. Retrieved from https://www.timesofisrael.com/shas-resigns-from-netanyahus-government-leaving-coalition-with-razor-thin-majority/ [3] Jerusalem Post. (2025, July 16). Shas ministers resign from Netanyahu's government. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics/shas-ministers-resign-from-netanyahus-government-676145 [4] Ynet News. (2025, July 16). Shas ministers resign from Netanyahu's government. Retrieved from https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5413604,00.html [5] Israel Hayom. (2025, July 16). Shas ministers resign from Netanyahu's government. Retrieved from https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/07/16/shas-ministers-resign-from-netanyahus-government/
The policy-and-legislation surrounding mandatory military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews continues to be a contentious issue in Israeli general-news and politics, following Shas ministers' resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government on July 16, 2025. This resignation, paired with the previous departure of United Torah Judaism, has left Netanyahu's coalition with a slim working majority, raising concerns over policy-and-legislation and the coalition's stability.
