Shas' announcement of its withdrawal from the government on Wednesday evening intensified the political turmoil that began with the exit of United Torah Judaism. However, Shas' withdrawal remained formal, as its ministers resigned from the government but did not relinquish their coalition membership.
According to estimates, Shas' decision to remain within the coalition may grant the latter a degree of immunity and relative stability, not only in the Knesset plenum voting sessions, but also in the work of parliamentary committees.
Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli and Welfare Minister Yaakov Margi of the Shas party announced their resignation from the government on Thursday, in compliance with the instructions of the Council of Torah Sages issued yesterday. Minister Haim Biton also resigned from his ministerial portfolio in the Ministry of Education.
Knesset Paralysis Without Collapse: The Impact of the Haredi Boycott on Parliamentary Work
In recent months, as the crisis over the law exempting ultra-Orthodox citizens from military service escalated, members of the ultra-Orthodox parties broke their commitment to vote for the coalition, a clear breach of coalition discipline.
As a result, the government removed a number of bills from the Knesset agenda, including proposals for preliminary reading. Later, the boycott expanded to include bills in advanced legislative stages, creating a state of parliamentary paralysis.
Despite boycotting the vote on the coalition's bills, the ultra-Orthodox parties abstained from supporting the opposition's no-confidence motions. Shas also made clear in its withdrawal statement that it does not intend to "join the left."
Therefore, it is not expected to support dissolving the Knesset before its recess begins next week. These data indicate that the status quo will continue, without further escalation at this time.
Knesset Committees: Shas' Positioning Limits the Impact of the Withdrawal
The most significant impact of Shas's decision to remain in the coalition is expected to be felt in the work of Knesset committees. Unlike United Torah Judaism, which announced its complete withdrawal from its coalition positions, Shas members will continue their work as usual within the committees.
For example, MK Yousef Tayeb will continue to chair the Education, Culture and Sports Committee, while MK Yonatan Meserki will continue to chair the Health Committee.
Shas also participates in the Knesset House Committee, the body responsible for the Knesset's internal regulations, the immunity of members, the composition of permanent and temporary committees, and the appointment of their chairpersons. Therefore, Shas's continued membership in the committee will influence its composition and decisions.
For example, Shas could have blocked the appointment of coalition chairman Ofir Katz to succeed MK Moshe Gafni as chairman of the Finance Committee, but it refrained from doing so.
It should be noted that the Knesset Committee has 16 members (including Katz, and after the withdrawal of MK Yisrael Eichler of United Torah Judaism), and had Shas withdrawn, the balance of power within it would have become equal between the opposition and the coalition.
The fate of Shas's five ministerial portfolios after its withdrawal from the government
Shas currently holds five ministerial portfolios: Interior, Health, Social Affairs, Labor, and Religious Affairs. Its withdrawal from the government could lead to a reshuffle of some of these portfolios, although there is a possibility they will remain in the hands of other ministers from within the coalition.
In addition, the reshuffle of portfolios, including those belonging to United Torah Judaism, may appease other coalition members. The possibility of appointing Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein to a ministerial position as an alternative to the committee's chairmanship has also been raised, but his acceptance remains uncertain.
Conversely, refraining from appointing new deputies as ministers may reduce government expenditures by reducing the number of ministers, deputy ministers, general managers, and accompanying staff.
شارك برأيك
Despite withdrawal from the government, Shas' decision preserves Netanyahu's coalition.