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Israel’s Supreme Court rules ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into military
The unanimous ruling by Israel’s highest court states that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for military service. The independent Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which filed the petition leading to the case, urged the government to immediately begin the draft process.
“We call on the government and the defense minister to implement the decision without delay, to comply with the High Court’s order, and to work immediately to draft [ultra-Orthodox] yeshiva students,” it said in a statement cited by The Times of Israel.
The court ruling states that, without a law distinguishing Jewish seminary students from other draftees, ultra-Orthodox citizens are subject to compulsory military service.
This marks a major break from longstanding arrangements, under which ultra-Orthodox men have been exempt from military service.
The exemptions, a source of growing public frustration during the Gaza war, have repeatedly been ruled unjust by the courts, but Israeli leaders, under pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties, have repeatedly kept the arrangement in place.
The Supreme Court ruling threatens Netanyahu’s government, which depends on support from two ultra-Orthodox parties who oppose increasing enlistment for their constituents.
Israeli opposition celebrates court ruling on ultra-Orthodox military service
Israeli opposition figures have welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling that ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into the military. Yair Golan, who heads the Israeli Labour Party, praised the ruling as a “just” move that upholds the responsibilities of all citizens.
“The duty of military and civilian service must be applied to every Israeli regardless of race, religion and gender,” said Golan.
Avigdor Lieberman, of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, said it was time for the “historic” change to bring much-needed manpower to the army during the war on Gaza.
As we’ve been reporting, debate over ultra-Orthodox citizens’ military status has created fierce divisions in Israeli society and politics. Many feel that the ultra-Orthodox, traditionally exempt from service, have not pulled their fair weight at a time when more than 300,000 reservists have been called up for duty.
Recruiting Haredim ‘historic opportunity’ to share the burden: Israeli minister
Regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling that ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into the military, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen says, “There is now a historic opportunity to increase equality in the burden and to recruit thousands of young men from the ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) sector.”
He said on X that recruiting the Haredim is “an essential move” for Israel’s security.
Yep, everyone in Israel must be part of one of the most criminal armies in the world
