Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel announced on Tuesday that she will resign from the government after the Knesset approved legislation to halt arrests of haredi draft dodgers.
"I stand before you with a heartache because the draft dodger exemption law passed in the Knesset plenum," Haskel stated after voting against the legislation.
"This law hurts the servicemembers and state security. It hurts those who, for three years, have been serving the state and paid heavy prices. The exemption law was passed, and therefore, I have decided to resign from my position in the government. I can no longer stand by."
The Knesset plenum approved legislation to halt the arrests of haredi draft dodgers in its second and third readings with a majority of 58 votes against 54.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present for part of the discussion but was absent from the vote.
Four members of the coalition, Yuli Edelstein (Likud), Sharren Haskel (Likud), Dan Illouz (Likud), and Moshe Solomon (Religious Zionists), voted against the. Minister Ofir Sofer and MK Michal Woldiger (Religious Zionists) were absent from the vote.
Immediately after the vote, Yisrael Beytenu and members of Yesh Atid filed a petition with the High Court of Justice challenging the law approved by the Knesset.