Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Israeli government has been left in a minority in parliament a senior partner quits the coalition, according to a report.
Shas, the ultra-orthodox party, announced it would not wish to contribute to a collapse of the government, with which it is a senior partner, and split from Netanyahu amid disagreement over a bill that would dilute religious exemptions from mandatory military service, Bloomberg and AP said.
Shas has 11 members and their resignation will reduce Netanyahu to 50 seats in the parliament, below the 61-seat majority.
Another ultra-orthodox party, the United Torah Judaism Party, had resigned earlier this week in protest over the same matter, it added.
The new law imposes requirements on exemption from army service for ultra-orthodox Jewish men, which is otherwise obligatory for all Israelis.
Shas, however, indicated that it can vote with the coalition government on certain pieces of legislation. It would not act to bring it down and would not seek to topple the coalition once out, AP quoted it as stating.
The loss of both parties thus won't initiate an early election either.
Being the leader of a minority government would make ruling difficult for Netanyahu, but it will not necessarily throw talks of a Gaza ceasefire into a tailspin, the AP report stated.
Israel and Hamas are in negotiations on a US-sponsored ceasefire plan for Gaza.
But Netanyahu, the report went on, might be more pressured by his right-wing coalition partners who resist the halt of the war as long as Hamas exists.
