Shas Party Withdraws from Netanyahu’s Government Amid Draft Dispute

Tel Aviv, MINA – The ultra-Orthodox Shas Party officially announced on Wednesday its withdrawal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Wednesday evening, citing opposition to the military conscription of Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews), Palestine Information Center reported.

The move, however, stops short of a full coalition exit, as Shas leaders confirmed they would not support any no-confidence motions against the government.

The party’s influential “Council of Torah Sages” made the decision in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling mandating Haredi enlistment and cutting off state funding to religious institutions whose students refuse military service.

Despite stepping down from government roles, Shas expressed conditional support for a potential prisoner exchange deal with Gaza.

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According to reports from Channel 12 and Israel’s public broadcaster, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri had been preparing for the withdrawal in recent days. The decision could lead to a political crisis, as Shas holds 11 seats in the Knesset, and their departure could effectively collapse Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, formed in December 2022.

Yedioth Ahronoth predicted the resignation of ministers in key departments, including Interior, Health, Welfare, Labor, and Religious Affairs. Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid declared that the government has lost its majority, calling it “an illegitimate government.”

The ultra-Orthodox community, which represents about 13% of Israel’s population, continues to reject military service, emphasizing their commitment to Torah study and concerns about assimilation into secular society. The Shas Party and other Haredi factions have been lobbying for legal exemptions, facing opposition from both secular coalition partners and the wider Israeli public. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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