Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition has been thrown into turmoil after the departure of two key ultra-Orthodox parties over the issue of military conscription. The Shas party announced on July 16 that it was resigning from all ministerial positions, citing the government's failure to guarantee continued draft exemptions for religious students.
The decision followed a unanimous vote by the party’s Council of Torah Sages, who expressed frustration over what they called the government’s inaction. In a statement, Shas said its ministers would formally step down on July 17. Those resigning include the ministers of health, interior, labour, welfare and religious services, along with the deputy agriculture minister. However, the party’s lawmakers will retain their parliament committee roles and said they would not actively work to topple the government.
The resignations follow a similar move by United Torah Judaism (UTJ), which is made up of the Degel HaTorah and Agudat Israel factions. Degel HaTorah’s ministers submitted their resignations on July 14, which are due to take effect within days. Agudat Israel has also decided to exit the coalition, though its ministers have not yet formally resigned.
These departures come as debates over Israel’s military conscription law reach a boiling point. The issue has become increasingly contentious during the country’s prolonged war against Hamas in Gaza, now in its 22nd month. Public resentment over the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service has grown, especially as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) face serious manpower shortages.
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Since Israel’s founding in 1948, ultra-Orthodox men have been largely exempt from military service if engaged in full-time religious study. The ultra-Orthodox parties have long supported the exemption, arguing that religious study is a vital service to Judaism and Israel. Many Haredi Jews see religious studies as a sacred commitment that has seen the Jews through several centuries of persecution.
On the other side of the argument is the fact that the Israeli demographic landscape has changed completely. The Haredim now make up around 14 per cent of Israel’s population and are its fastest-growing community. As more secular and national-religious Israelis are called up for extended military service, many see the blanket exemption as increasingly untenable.
In June 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the government must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox students, arguing that there was no longer a legal basis for their exemption. The move came after years of temporary laws and political compromises that allowed the exemption to continue. The ruling forced the government to begin working on new legislation, which has yet to satisfy either the Haredi factions or the army.
Yuli Edelstein, a senior Likud figure and chair of the Parliament Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, has blocked any proposed legislation that fails to meet the IDF’s requirements. Edelstein’s stance drew particular ire from Shas, whose Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli read a statement from the Council of Torah Sages accusing the military and the attorney general of “cruel and criminal persecution against yeshiva students”.
Netanyahu has promised to pursue what he called a “balanced, responsible and well-thought-out” draft law. A bill under discussion in Parliament sets quotas for gradually integrating ultra-Orthodox men into the military and proposes cutting funding for those who fail to comply. However, the details remain unresolved, and negotiations between the Prime Minister’s office and Haredi leaders are ongoing.
The coalition now risks losing its majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Without Shas and UTJ, Netanyahu could be left with fewer than 50 seats, raising the prospect of a minority government. While ultra-Orthodox leaders say they have no desire to trigger new elections, their resignations increase pressure on Netanyahu to secure a permanent exemption through legislation.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid seized on the crisis, demanding immediate elections. “A minority government cannot send soldiers to the battlefield. It is not a legitimate government,” he said. “The time has come for elections—now.”