From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Shas set to join UTJ in backing Knesset’s dissolution, stripping coalition of majority
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Sephardic ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s lawmakers finish a faction meeting to discuss whether or not to support dissolving the Knesset over the coalition’s failure to pass a law exempting yeshiva students from military service.
According to multiple Hebrew press reports, the party is expected to come out in favor of the move, which is being led by the United Torah Judaism party. Speaking with the Haaretz daily, a Shas source states that the party will indeed push to dissolve the Knesset, leading to new elections.
There has been no public comment from Shas on the developments, although it has been coordinating its efforts with UTJ in recent weeks, with both parties engaging in a partial legislative boycott of the coalition in an effort to exert pressure on Netanyahu.
Shas’s top rabbinic leadership is also expected to convene to discuss whether they will stay in the coalition.
Responding to Shas’s reported decision, firebrand Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv slams the Haredi party’s chairman.
“Aryeh Deri, I never thought you were a right-winger, but Shas voters are overwhelmingly right-wingers! Right-wingers who will shudder at anyone who dares to harm the government’s resilience during a war on multiple fronts,” she declares in a video posted to X.
“Of course, if you go to the elections, I will do everything in my power to convince your public to vote for a right-wing party, and there is a good chance that I will succeed,” she adds.
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