A senior haredi lawmaker warned Wednesday that if Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas) is forced out of the government as a result of a Supreme Court ruling, it would mark the end of the current coalition government.

Welfare Minister Yaakov Margi (Shas) told Reshet Bet Wednesday morning that his party will likely not support the continuation of the Netanyahu government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fires Deri.

“I will advise the [Shas party’s] council of Torah sages that if Aryeh Deri isn’t in the government, there is no government.”

The comments came shortly after Israel Hayom reported Wednesday morning that Netanyahu will not defy a Supreme Court ruling against his Interior Minister, and is prepared to fire Deri should the court insist he do so.

Deri has reportedly told Shas party members at a faction meeting Monday that he will not step down, even if the Supreme Court rules against his appointment as Interior Minister.

Sources close to Netanyahu told Israel Hayom that if the court rules that Deri cannot serve as a minister and Deri refuses to resign, Netanyahu will fire the Interior Minister, but will also use the issue to build support for his government’s judicial reform plan.

“The Prime Minister will express his opposition, but in the end will fire Deri, and will highlight to the public this situation, in which the people elected a person, whom the judges then rejected,” one of the sources cited in the report said.

“If the Supreme Court will force Netanyahu to fire Deri, he will adhere to the Supreme Court ruling, but everyone has to understand that the court will be forcing the prime minister against his will to fire one of his ministers.”

“We are in the midst of a major struggle, and here is an opportunity to show people who still don’t think that we need the Justice Minister’s reforms how wrong they are.”