Rift deepens: Shas expected to leave gov’t as Netanyahu, Edelstein conclude bill discussion

By admin On Jun 4, 2025

Shas is expected to support a motion to dissolve the Knesset, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

This came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded a meeting with Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein on Wednesday evening, during which the two discussed advancing the draft exemption bill, which has largely stalled, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Netanyahu will lead a meeting Thursday afternoon, which Edelstein will also attend, in addition to Shas MK Ariel Attias and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fox, the PMO confirmed.

This comes after several haredi rabbis have reportedly instructed parties in the coalition to leave the government, The Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday.

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, pictured in 2014. (credit: WIKIMEDIA/Bentzionbb)

Edelstein addressed the developments in a post to X/Twitter, noting that he did not support dissolving the Knesset and that he seeks to find a solution to the issue.

“I am not in favor of disbanding the coalition or dissolving the government, and I do not share in the hatred of our haredi brothers,” Edelstein wrote in the post on Wednesday evening.

אין חדש תחת השמש.מתווה חוק הגיוס אותו הצגתי אמש בפגישה, הוא אותו המתווה עליו אנחנו דנים כבר למעלה משנה. חוק ללא סנקציות אישיות אפקטיביות, יעדי גיוס גבוהים ובקצב עלייה גבוה – איננו גיוס אלא השתמטות, ולכך התנגדתי לכל אורך הדרך.בזמן שחיילי צה״ל ומפקדיו נמצאים בעיצומם של מאמצי… pic.twitter.com/hwb5jYErib

— Yuli Edelstein יולי אדלשטיין (@YuliEdelstein) June 4, 2025

Haredi parties consider leaving government

Some haredi parties are considering leaving the government over the government’s failure to pass a law that would exempt a majority of eligible haredi men from IDF service.

Edelstein failed to reach an agreement during a meeting with haredi representatives last night, angering the haredi faction Degel Hatorah, and prompting rabbis to issue a directive to escalate threats against the government and coalition.

Haredi Lithuanian Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch said in a statement that he would ‘likely’ instruct the Degel Hatorah faction to leave the coalition in the near future.

JPost