Jerusalem — An ultra-orthodox party quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition on Wednesday after a similar move earlier this week by another religious group, leaving the government without a working majority in parliament.
The Shas party said it was leaving the coalition to protest against legislators’ failure to guarantee future exemption from military conscription for religious students.
“Shas representatives… find with a heavy heart that they cannot stay in the government and be a part of it,” the group said in a statement, a day after the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party also announced their walkout.
Their joint move leaves Netanyahu with a minority government but is not expected to usher in immediate elections, or undermine efforts to secure a possible Gaza ceasefire.
Israel’s parliament starts a three-month summer recess on July 27, giving Netanyahu time to try to resolve the long-standing problem over whether ultra-Orthodox students should continue to be exempt from military service.
Reuters
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