Netanyahu Loses Majority After Another Party Leaves Coalition Government 

An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party announced it would leave the country’s governing coalition this week, a move that will strip Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party of its parliamentary majority and could force early elections, the Washington Post reported. 

On Wednesday, the Shas party announced it would exit the right-wing coalition in protest of Netanyahu’s failure to enshrine into law the long-standing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service on religious grounds.  

The party is the latest right-wing grouping to leave the government: Earlier this week, the ultra-orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party exited the coalition over the same issue. 

In its announcement, Shas called on Netanyahu to push the exemption bill before the start of the parliamentary session in October. It also demanded a deal that would see the return of the remaining 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip. 

The party added that it would not undermine the governing coalition and would not join the opposition to bring it down, according to the Associated Press. 

Shas’ exit will take effect Sunday, leaving Netanyahu’s coalition with only 50 out of the 120 seats in parliament and vulnerable to potential no-confidence motions. 

The latest setback for Netanyahu centers on the military draft exemption bill that has become a point of contention within his cabinet and gained national attention, particularly after the conflict with Hamas began in October 2023. 

Israel’s conscription laws require all able-bodied members of the Jewish majority to serve in the army for at least two years after turning 18. Failure to do so can result in imprisonment, fines or other punitive measures. 

However, ultra-Orthodox Jewish men have historically avoided conscription by continuing to study at yeshivas, religious institutions focused on traditional Jewish texts. 

But many Israelis and army reservists have voiced anger over exemptions to the ultra-Orthodox community. Last year, a poll by the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute found that around 85 percent of Israelis support ultra-Orthodox enlistment. 

Analysts said the party’s exit comes just before lawmakers are set to recess for the summer, which would offer the Israeli prime minister some time to reach a compromise with the parties before parliament reconvenes in the fall. 

But if Netanyahu fails to reach an agreement before then, the country could see early elections.  

Israel has held five elections since 2019, the most recent in November 2022.  

The fate of the coalition has also prompted questions about a US-backed ceasefire agreement with Hamas that would pause the 21-month-long conflict in Gaza for two months. This would allow the release of roughly half of the remaining 50 hostages, and pave the way for end-of-war negotiations.  

Observers cautioned that a fracturing coalition could force Netanyahu to appease far-right members of his coalition, who have signaled they would oppose any deal they view as too lenient.