Israel’s government has been dealt a significant blow after the ultra-Orthodox party Shas announced it will leave the cabinet in response to a dispute over mandatory military service. The move comes just one day after another ultra-Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), also quit the government over the same issue.
Shas, which has long been a key player in Israeli politics, said it could not stay in the government and continue to support laws that do not guarantee exemption from military conscription for religious students. The party claims that full-time devotion to holy scriptures study is sacrosanct and fear their young men will turn away from religious life if they are drafted into the military.
The decision by Shas to leave the government means that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition would lose a crucial 11 seats, leaving him potentially heading a minority coalition in parliament. The ultra-Orthodox parties have been at odds with the government over the issue for months, and it is unclear whether they will return to the fold before the parliament’s three-month recess begins on July 27.
The dispute has sparked an explosive debate in Israel, with many seeing it as unfair that ultra-Orthodox seminary students are exempt from military service while other groups serve. However, ultra-Orthodox leaders argue that full-time devotion to holy scriptures study is essential and that forcing young men into the military would be “nothing less than cruel and criminal persecution”.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/16/israeli-ultra-orthodox-party-quits-government-as-netanyahu-loses-majority