Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing renewed political strain after a key religious party withdrew from his ruling coalition over a longstanding military draft dispute, leaving him with only a slim parliamentary majority.
Six lawmakers from the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party submitted resignation letters overnight from their roles in parliamentary committees and government ministries. The move came in protest against the government’s failure to ensure continued exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox religious students.
The departure of UTJ leaves Netanyahu’s coalition fragile, and concerns are growing that Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party aligned with UTJ, may also withdraw. Should that happen, the government would lose its parliamentary majority entirely.
The resignations are set to take effect within 48 hours, giving Netanyahu a short window to resolve the crisis that has plagued his coalition for months. However, with parliament scheduled to begin its summer recess at the end of July, the prime minister could still have three months to stabilise his coalition before any real threat to his leadership materialises.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is also under pressure from far-right factions within his government over ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. Talks in Qatar, conducted indirectly between Israel and the Palestinian militant group, aim to secure a 60-day pause in fighting in Gaza. The deal would allow for the release of half of the remaining hostages held by Hamas and facilitate humanitarian aid to the territory, while laying the groundwork for broader discussions on ending the war.
Far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich oppose any ceasefire, insisting Israel should continue military operations. Nonetheless, Netanyahu is believed to have enough cabinet support to approve a truce even without their backing.
“As soon as the right deal is on the table, the prime minister will be able to pass it through,” said Topaz Luk, a close aide to Netanyahu, during a Tuesday interview with Army Radio.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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