Netanyahu Loses Majority as Ultra-Orthodox Parties Bolt

 

Jerusalem, Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition collapsed Wednesday as the ultra-Orthodox Shas party announced its departure, stripping him of his parliamentary majority. This follows the resignation of another key religious party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), just a day earlier.

The mass exodus stems from a bitter dispute over the long-standing exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students from mandatory military service.

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Shas declared in a statement its representatives "find with a heavy heart that they cannot stay in the government," citing lawmakers' failure to guarantee the future of the military service exemptions. UTJ resigned Tuesday over the same issue.

The exemptions, recently ruled illegal by Israel's Supreme Court, have become a flashpoint during the 21-month war against Hamas in Gaza. Many Israelis resent the burden falling disproportionately on the mainstream population while thousands of ultra-Orthodox men study full-time.

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Ultra-Orthodox leaders defend the exemptions as sacrosanct, arguing military service would pull young men away from religious life. Parliament has failed to pass a new conscription law satisfying both the religious parties and the court.

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Political Fallout:

Minority Rule: Netanyahu now leads a minority government, making passing legislation and governing significantly harder.

Limited Lifeline: While Shas stated it wouldn't actively "undermine" the coalition or "support its collapse," and might vote with it on some issues, Netanyahu's weakened position makes him more vulnerable to demands from his remaining far-right partners.

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Far-Right Leverage: These partners strongly oppose ending the Gaza war while Hamas remains intact, potentially complicating ceasefire efforts.

No Immediate Elections: The resignations are not expected to trigger an immediate election.

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The crisis highlights deep societal divisions exacerbated by the ongoing war, leaving Netanyahu navigating a fractured political landscape with severely diminished authority.

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