– Israel’s Coalition Government Rocked by Draft Law Crisis: Shas Resignations Stir Political Turmoil
July 17, 2025, Jerusalem — The resignation of important ministers from the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party has further strained Israel’s already precarious coalition government. The resignations coincide with a growing dispute over Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jewish men’s exemptions from the military draft, rekindling a long-running ideological conflict at the core of Israeli society.
The most recent development represents a pivotal moment in Israeli politics as religious parties threaten to overthrow the government over the proposed conscription law, while secular Israelis are putting increasing pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provide equal national service.
The Core of the Crisis: Draft Exemptions for Haredi Jews
The Israeli Defense Ministry’s plan to progressively include more Haredi men in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is at the heart of the dispute. The action comes after a Supreme Court decision that ruled that the current blanket exemptions are discriminatory and unconstitutional, and that the Knesset adopt a revised draft framework.
The ultra-Orthodox community, which views Torah study as equivalent to national service, has fiercely opposed mandatory enlistment, citing religious freedom and traditional values. Shas, one of the primary religious parties in Netanyahu’s ruling coalition, denounced the court’s interference as an attack on Judaism and religious life.
The Shas Party’s leader, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, called the proposed draft legislation “a betrayal of the Haredi way of life” and abruptly escalated the situation by announcing that his party’s ministers would leave their government positions.
Political Fallout: Coalition Stability at Risk
If a compromise is not reached quickly, the Shas resignations could jeopardize Netanyahu’s slim majority and bring about early elections. The prime minister now has the difficult task of striking a balance between his ultra-Orthodox allies, who view the draft as unavoidable, and his secular nationalist allies, who contend that the current system is unfair.
Netanyahu has responded by calling an emergency cabinet meeting, saying he wants to “avoid a governmental collapse” and come to a “national consensus that respects tradition and national duty.”
At a time when Israel is already juggling increased security tensions with Hezbollah in the north and Gaza in the south, political analysts caution that failure to end this standoff could stall important policy decisions, ranging from defense reforms to economic stability.
Public Sentiment and Civil Society
Thousands of secular Israelis marched in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in response to the controversy, calling for a universal draft. One protester remarked, “Everyone must share the burden,” reflecting a growing belief among younger Israelis that all people, regardless of religious affiliation, should be required to perform national service.
Haredi leaders, on the other hand, have planned counter-demonstrations, denouncing what they characterize as a liberal attack on religious life and highlighting the role their community plays in prayer, study, and spiritual leadership.
Israel is currently at a turning point in its history, where a deep-rooted social divide could lead to the country’s government collapsing. The crisis highlights larger conflicts between tradition and modernity, religious identity and civic equality, as the discussion surrounding the military draft law intensifies. The outcome of Netanyahu’s coalition and perhaps the democratic fabric of Israel itself will depend on his ability to negotiate this political minefield.
