Netanyahu Govt Loses Majority as Gantz Quits Over Draft Law

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government lost its parliamentary majority on Wednesday, after the ultra-Orthodox Shas party formally withdrew from the ruling coalition. This move follows a similar exit earlier this week by United Torah Judaism (UTJ), leaving Netanyahu with control over just 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats—a razor-thin margin that renders his government vulnerable to no-confidence motions.

Shas, which holds 11 seats, cited “persecution against Torah students” as the reason for its departure. The party protested the government’s failure to pass a bill exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from mandatory military service. Though Shas said it wouldn’t actively work to topple the coalition, its withdrawal has paralyzed legislative functions and risks triggering early elections.

The crisis stems from a longstanding and explosive issue in Israeli politics: military conscription. For decades, Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews—who comprise around 13% of Israel’s population—have been exempted from compulsory service to focus on religious studies. But in 2024, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled this practice discriminatory and ordered the government to implement new conscription rules.

As troop shortages worsen—exacerbated by the war in Gaza, where over 450 Israeli soldiers have been killed—public frustration over draft exemptions has surged. The government missed its July 15 deadline to pass new exemption laws, prompting Shas and UTJ’s religious leadership to instruct their lawmakers to resign. They characterized the draft orders as a direct threat to their religious way of life.

The political fallout now complicates U.S.-backed efforts to broker a ceasefire with Hamas. Netanyahu’s reliance on far-right allies, especially National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir—who staunchly opposes any agreement that leaves Hamas intact—limits his maneuverability. Analysts warn that any deal requiring concessions could now be blocked by coalition threats.

“Ben-Gvir and his allies can effectively veto a ceasefire simply by threatening to walk out,” said political scientist Gayil Talshir. Despite the crisis, Netanyahu could theoretically pass a temporary ceasefire with support from centrist opposition parties. However, most of them refuse to cooperate with Netanyahu due to his ongoing corruption trials.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to rise, with the death count nearing 58,500 amid continued Israeli airstrikes.