Shas Party Members Resign; Netanyahu Cabinet on Verge of Collapse
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, Al Jazeera, quoting Channel 12 of Israeli television, reported that the religious authority of the Shas party declared its immediate withdrawal from Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet and coalition in response to the failure to pass a law exempting Haredi Jews from mandatory military service.
The Shas party, one of the main religious parties within Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition government, was instrumental in maintaining its majority. Its exit could reduce cabinet seats from 61 to 50, substantially weakening the coalition and potentially causing Netanyahu’s government to lose control over the Knesset.
Religious parties in Israel believe that if Netanyahu’s coalition collapses, a war cabinet will not be formed. Without a war cabinet, they assert that active conflict will cease-and where conflict ends, so too will compulsory military service for Haredi Jews.
