Another key ally quits Netanyahu's governing coalition
Shas, an ultra-Orthodox party that has long served as kingmaker in Israeli politics, announced that it would bolt the government over disagreements surrounding a proposed law that would enshrine broad military draft exemptions for its constituents — the second ultra-Orthodox governing party to do so this week.
'In this current situation, it's impossible to sit in the government and to be a partner in it,' Shas Cabinet minister Michael Malkieli said in announcing the party's decision.
But Shas said it would not undermine Netanyahu's coalition from the outside and could vote with it on some legislation, granting Netanyahu a lifeline in what would otherwise make governing almost impossible and put his lengthy rule at risk.
Once their resignations come into effect, Netanyahu's coalition will have 50 seats in the 120-seat parliament.
Netanyahu's rule, for now, doesn't appear threatened. Once Shas' resignations are put forward, there's a 48-hour window before they become official, which gives him a chance to salvage his government.
Netanyahu's Likud party did not immediately comment on Shas' departure.
The party's announcement also comes just before lawmakers recess for the summer, granting Netanyahu several months of little to no legislative activity to bring the parties back into the fold with a possible compromise on the draft law.
But if the coalition isn't shored up by the time the Knesset reconvenes in the fall, it could signal that Israel may be headed to early elections, which are currently scheduled for October 2026.
The political instability comes at a pivotal time for Israel, which is negotiating with Hamas on the terms for a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza. Shas' decision isn't expected to derail the talks.
But with a fracturing coalition, Netanyahu will feel more pressure to appease his other governing allies, especially the influential far-right flank, which opposes ending the 21-month war in Gaza so long as Hamas remains intact. They have threatened to quit the government if it does end.
Despite losing two important political partners, Netanyahu will still be able to move ahead on a ceasefire deal, once one is reached. The Trump administration has been pushing Israel to wrap up the war.
The embattled Netanyahu is on trial for alleged corruption , and critics say he wants to hang on to power so that he can use his office as a bully pulpit to rally supporters and lash out against prosecutors and judges. That makes him all the more vulnerable to the whims of coalition allies.
On Tuesday, the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party said it was quitting over Netanyahu's failure to pass a law on the military draft exemptions.
Military service is compulsory for most Jewish Israelis, and the issue of exemptions has long divided the country. Those rifts have widened since the start of the war in Gaza as demand for military manpower has grown and hundreds of soldiers have been killed.
A decades-old arrangement by Israel's first prime minister granted hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men exemptions from compulsory Israeli service. Over the years, those exemptions ballooned into the thousands.
The ultra-Orthodox say their men are serving the country by studying sacred Jewish texts and preserving centuries' old tradition. They fear that mandatory enlistment will dilute adherents' connection to the faith.
But most Jewish Israelis see the exemption as unfair, as well as the generous government stipends granted to many ultra-Orthodox men who study instead of work throughout adulthood.
Netanyahu's coalition has been trying to find a path forward on a new law. But his base is largely opposed to granting sweeping draft exemptions and a key lawmaker has stood in the way of giving the ultra-Orthodox a law they can get behind, prompting their exit.
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Korea Herald
16 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Tens of thousands flee their homes as Thailand and Cambodia clash
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The Thai Health Ministry on Friday said more than 58,000 have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border. The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the two countries has killed at least 19 people in Thailand -- mostly civilians -- while Cambodia said Saturday that 12 people more people have killed on its side, bringing its death toll to 13. Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damage caused to a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the 'utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression' from Cambodia. Tensions over a disputed border area erupted into fighting after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. 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Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. A remote Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated several hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling babies, while children ran about. Makeshift plastic tents were being set up under the trees. Veng Chin, 74, pleaded with both governments to negotiate a settlement 'so that I can return to my home and work on the farm.' The conflict marks a rare instance of armed confrontation between ASEAN member countries though Thailand has tangled with Cambodia before over the border and has had sporadic skirmishes with western neighbor Myanmar. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border, but requested more time before implementing the action, according to a report by Malaysia's Bernama national news agency. Anwar said he had spoken to both Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand's Phumtham and urged them to open space for 'peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution,' while offering to have Malaysia facilitate talks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue, according to UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. The 800-kilometer frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The last major flare-up in 2011 left 20 dead. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics . Things got worse when a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday, leading Bangkok to close the border and expel the Cambodian ambassador. The next day, clashes broke out along the border.
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Korea Herald
N. Korea set to celebrate 72nd anniversary of armistice signing
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Korea Herald
a day ago
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Opposition urges Lee to engage with Trump over canceled US tariff talks
South Korea's main opposition People Power Party on Friday lashed out at President Lee Jae Myung over Washington's abrupt postponement of a high-level tariff negotiation, calling for immediate diplomatic engagement with US President Donald Trump. Rep. Song Eon-seog, interim leader of the conservative People Power Party, said during a radio interview with local broadcaster SBS that Lee must fly to the US immediately and meet with Trump. "Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met directly with Trump, but Korea couldn't even secure a summit or a meeting with US negotiators," Song said. "Our deputy prime minister was informed at the airport that the talks were off." This came as the so-called "2+2" meeting between the two countries' finance and trade chiefs, originally set for Friday in Washington, was called off just a day prior. According to Seoul officials, the US informed Korea of the postponement via email at around 9 a.m. Thursday, citing a scheduling conflict involving US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The talks were seen as a last-ditch opportunity to reach a breakthrough for concluding the ongoing US-Korea tariff deal before the Aug. 1 deadline — a date reportedly set by Trump himself. The sudden cancellation has fueled concern that no meaningful dialogue may take place before then. Song criticized the liberal administration's lack of preparation. 'They once pressured the previous administration to delay negotiations by impeaching key ministers and insisted the matter be passed on to the next government,' he said. 'But now that they've taken power, it's clear they weren't prepared at all — and it raises doubts as to whether Lee was ever truly ready for the job.' People Power Party spokesperson Choi Soo-jin called the situation a "diplomatic failure." "Korea alone has been excluded from the conversation," she said, pointing out that Japan, the Philippines and the European Union have all made headway in their own tariff talks with the US. "The US isn't doubting Korea — it's doubting the president. There are growing concerns that President Lee's repeated pro-China gestures are eroding trust in the alliance." Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, a lawmaker who recently declared his bid for the party's leadership election in August, wrote on Facebook that the talks were "not postponed, but effectively rejected," adding that it remains uncertain whether a new meeting can be scheduled before the Aug. 1 deadline. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea pushed back against the criticism, accusing the opposition of using the talks for political gain. "It's shameless to use this crucial negotiation as a tool for partisan attacks," said Rep. Park Sang-hyuk, the party's deputy floor spokesperson. "Instead of undermining the government, the opposition should help by voicing strong demands to the US — such as refusing to further open the rice market or increase defense cost-sharing — to support our negotiation efforts." Park warned that the opposition's political attacks only weaken Korea's negotiating position. 'They're hurting our leverage,' he said. 'It's frustrating to see the opposition show such a fundamental lack of understanding.' Park also said that the government is exploring various channels, describing the cancellation as part of Trump's negotiation tactics. 'President Trump is known for frequently shifting his negotiation tactics, and there are likely to be many variables at play — but the government is continuing its efforts through multiple channels,' he said.
