Despite high-profile resignations, Shas aims to retain control over key ministries and fiercely opposes Haim Katz’s appointment to any vacated role.
Following the resignation of Shas ministers from their cabinet posts, the ultra-Orthodox party has drawn a clear red line: Haim Katz is not welcome to assume any of the vacated ministerial portfolios.
As reported Monday morning by Reshet Bet, the ministries previously under Shas leadership are now expected to be redistributed among Likud ministers. Potential candidates include Justice Minister Yariv Levin—described by Shas insiders as their preferred choice—alongside Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
However, the party has issued an unambiguous objection to any involvement by Minister Katz. Behind the scenes, tensions are simmering over Katz’s perceived political stance and previous friction with Shas leadership.
Coalition insiders have dismissed the resignations as largely symbolic, branding the move a calculated political performance. “This is a façade,” one source said, noting that Shas-aligned directors-general and advisors will remain entrenched within the ministries, quietly retaining control over day-to-day operations.
Despite the formal exit of its ministers, Shas is expected to continue pulling the strings. Key bureaucratic appointments and internal networks will ensure the party’s influence remains undisturbed, reinforcing the notion that the resignations were more show than substance.
For now, all eyes are on whether Prime Minister Netanyahu will honor Shas’s internal demands—and how long the illusion of ministerial reshuffling can hold without triggering deeper fractures within the coalition.
