Netanyahu faces major blow as Shas quits cabinet over military draft exemption for ultra-orthodox students

Jerusalem [Israel], July 17 (ANI): A key ultra-Orthodox ally in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has announced its departure from the cabinet, marking a serious setback that could potentially leave Netanyahu presiding over a minority coalition, Al Jazeera has reported.
The Shas party, long considered a kingmaker in Israeli politics, said on Wednesday that it was leaving the cabinet in protest over lawmakers' failure to guarantee a 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 party said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
While it remains unclear whether Netanyahu will now be left with a minority, Al Jazeera reported that without Shas, his coalition would hold just 50 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.
Al Jazeera said that the departure of Shas comes just a day after United Torah Judaism (UTJ), another ultra-Orthodox party, also resigned from the government over the same contentious issue.
The exemptions for ultra-Orthodox seminary students from mandatory military service have become a lightning rod for public anger, particularly amid the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza that has stretched beyond 21 months.
Al Jazeera reported that the Supreme Court had previously ordered an end to the exemption policy, and lawmakers have since been attempting to draft new legislation that satisfies both Shas and UTJ--without success.
Despite its exit, Shas has signalled that it will not seek to actively bring down the Netanyahu government. It said it may continue to vote with the coalition on some legislative matters, though it will no longer be formally part of the cabinet.
Michael Malkieli, Religious Services Minister and Shas member, said on Wednesday that religious leaders were angered after Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, allegedly went back on his word regarding the proposed conscription bill.
According to Al Jazeera, Malkieli, reading from a statement by the Council of Torah Sages, also condemned actions by the Israeli military and attorney general to crack down on draft dodgers. He called these moves "nothing less than cruel and criminal persecution against yeshiva students."
The move comes just before the Israeli parliament is set to begin a three-month recess on July 27, giving Netanyahu some time without active legislative pressure to possibly reconcile with the departing ultra-Orthodox allies, Al Jazeera said. (ANI)