Shas’s six ministers and one deputy minister handed in their resignations one after the other on Thursday, in the wake of a decision by the party’s spiritual leadership council on Wednesday to leave the government over its failure to exempt haredi yeshiva students from IDF service.
These included Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, Welfare Minister Yaacov Margi, Health Minister Uriel Busso, Labor Minister Yoav Ben-Tzur, Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli, Minister Within the Education Ministry Haim Bitton, and Deputy Agriculture Minister Moshe Aboutboul.
The ministers who resigned will continue to serve as Members of Knesset.
Interior Minister Arbel stays temporarily to complete 'urgent tasks'
Arbel later rescinded his resignation. In a short statement Arbel explained, “In light of urgent administrative tasks requiring immediate attention at the Ministry of the Interior—whose delay could harm the public interest—such as completing the recovery plan and ensuring salary payments to the employees of the Nazareth municipality, which is [being governed by] an appointed [temporary] committee, I have informed the Prime Minister of my withdrawal from the resignation in order to complete these tasks.”
Arbel added that the move had been coordinated with Shas chairman MK Arye Deri.
The council, known as the Council of Torah Sages, directed its MKs to remain in the coalition for the time being. Therefore, despite the resignations, Deri, who was not a minister, will continue attending the government’s National Security Cabinet meetings, according to his spokesperson.
In a post on X headlined by the quote “You must act according to the decisions they give you” (Deuteronomy 17:10) Margi wrote, “With sacred reverence, I have submitted my resignation from my position as Minister of Welfare and Social Affairs—a role I have fulfilled for over two and a half years.
Margi continued, “Together with the dedicated staff of the Ministry of Welfare, I had the privilege of serving the people of Israel during one of the most challenging periods in the country’s history, particularly in support of vulnerable populations and welfare recipients. I will continue to serve the public as a Member of Knesset and work for the benefit of all citizens of Israel,” Margi wrote.
Netanyahu's government to survive Shas exit
The fact that Shas will remain in the coalition means that while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has still lost his majority in parliament, the government will likely survive at least until the Knesset returns from its summer recess, which will run between July 27 and October 19.
The coalition currently numbers 60 MKs, after the Ashkenazi-haredi party United Torah Judaism quit the government and coalition on Tuesday, also over the haredi IDF draft issue.
In an interview on Kol Berama Radio on Thursday, Malkieli stressed that Shas was still a “full partner of the national camp” and that there was “still an opportunity to pass a law and bring us back into the government.”