Jerusalem: Israeli Supreme Court The government was unanimously ordered to start work contract The conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the army – a landmark decision that seeks to end the system that allows them to avoid conscription into mandatory military service. military service,
About 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up about 13% of Israel’s population, oppose conscription because they believe their most important duty is to study full-time in religious seminaries.
Conscription exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox date back to Israel’s founding in 1948, when some talented scholars were exempted from conscription. But the numbers have grown over the decades, thanks to pressure from politically powerful religious parties. The court ruled the exemptions were illegal in 2017, but repeated extensions and government delaying tactics have prevented replacement legislation from passing.
Two groups, the Haredim, or “God-fearers” in Hebrew, are essential parts of this sect. Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuDespite Hamas’ fragile alliance, the blanket exemption from mandatory military service has reopened deep divisions in the country and fueled public anger over the war in Gaza. More than 600 soldiers have been killed since Hamas’s October 7 attack. Many reserve soldiers are starting their second tour of duty.
What does Tuesday’s decision mean for Netanyahu’s government? Netanyahu’s coalition has a slim majority of 64 seats in the 120-member parliament, often forcing him to bow to demands from smaller parties such as the ultra-Orthodox.
If these parties leave the government, the country could have to hold new elections this fall. Netanyahu’s popularity is low as the war in Gaza enters its ninth month.
Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopp heads an ultra-Orthodox party in Netanyahu’s coalition. In a post on X, Goldknopp called the Supreme Court’s ruling “very unfortunate and disappointing” but did not say whether his party would leave the government. Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, condemned the decision and said religious studies are “our secret weapon against all enemies.”
This year, the court temporarily halted state subsidies to madrasas where exemptions had been granted. Ultra-Orthodox men study. Along with the hiring decision, the court also ruled Tuesday that those funds should be permanently suspended.
Barak Medina, a law professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an expert on constitutional law, said many religious seminaries depend on government funding and “the general perception is that the government will not be able to recover from this crisis.”
What did the court rule? Military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women, who serve three and two years of active duty, respectively, as well as reserve duty until age 40.
The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that mandatory military service applies to ultra-Orthodox people just like any other Israeli. The judges said that allowing a certain community to “completely avoid” service amounted to discrimination.
“Discrimination against the most precious thing — life — is the worst kind of discrimination,” the judges wrote in their opinion.
In 2017, the Supreme Court struck down the law codifying the draft exemption. Government strategies to repeatedly extend the law and delay replacement legislation have gone on for years.
Israel’s judiciary plays a major role in controlling the government’s executive power. Netanyahu attempted to overhaul the judiciary last year, sparking massive protests across the country, but a large portion of the overhaul was later repealed.
When will it be implemented? It will be challenging for the military to absorb the large number of ultra-Orthodox people who are strongly opposed to military service.
Among Israel’s Jewish majority, mandatory military service is largely seen as a melting pot and a rite of passage. The ultra-Orthodox say joining the army would threaten their generations-old way of life, and that their religious lifestyle and devotion to upholding Jewish commandments protects Israel as much as a strong military does.
The court did not set a number for recruitment in its ruling, but Israel’s Attorney General’s Office suggested that at least 3,000 ultra-Orthodox soldiers would be recruited in the coming year. The court said in its ruling that about 63,000 ultra-Orthodox students are eligible for recruitment.
For decades the military has attempted to accommodate ultra-Orthodox soldiers by creating separate units that allow them to maintain religious practices, including having minimal interaction with women. One of the units created for this purpose, Netzah Yehuda, faced potential US sanctions due to their treatment of Palestinians, although the US ultimately decided not to impose sanctions.
What effect will it have on the war in Gaza? The decision will have no immediate effect on the war in Gaza, where more than 37,600 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The number of ultra-Orthodox recruited because of the decision is too small to have a significant impact on the day-to-day fighting.
Medina, the law professor, said that if the decision topples the government, it would give Netanyahu greater leverage to negotiate a ceasefire that could end the war in Gaza.
“Right now, one of the main reasons they are being prevented from reaching an agreement to end the war is that it would mean the end of their alliance,” Medina said.
He said that if the ultra-Orthodox parties leave the coalition, Netanyahu has “nothing to lose.” And that could lead to a change in policy without pressure from far-right ministers who oppose any kind of ceasefire. Medina said that if early elections are called, Netanyahu will be under a lot of pressure to end the fighting, to avoid going into the election without hostages and with the war still raging.
About 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up about 13% of Israel’s population, oppose conscription because they believe their most important duty is to study full-time in religious seminaries.
Conscription exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox date back to Israel’s founding in 1948, when some talented scholars were exempted from conscription. But the numbers have grown over the decades, thanks to pressure from politically powerful religious parties. The court ruled the exemptions were illegal in 2017, but repeated extensions and government delaying tactics have prevented replacement legislation from passing.
Two groups, the Haredim, or “God-fearers” in Hebrew, are essential parts of this sect. Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuDespite Hamas’ fragile alliance, the blanket exemption from mandatory military service has reopened deep divisions in the country and fueled public anger over the war in Gaza. More than 600 soldiers have been killed since Hamas’s October 7 attack. Many reserve soldiers are starting their second tour of duty.
What does Tuesday’s decision mean for Netanyahu’s government? Netanyahu’s coalition has a slim majority of 64 seats in the 120-member parliament, often forcing him to bow to demands from smaller parties such as the ultra-Orthodox.
If these parties leave the government, the country could have to hold new elections this fall. Netanyahu’s popularity is low as the war in Gaza enters its ninth month.
Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopp heads an ultra-Orthodox party in Netanyahu’s coalition. In a post on X, Goldknopp called the Supreme Court’s ruling “very unfortunate and disappointing” but did not say whether his party would leave the government. Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, condemned the decision and said religious studies are “our secret weapon against all enemies.”
This year, the court temporarily halted state subsidies to madrasas where exemptions had been granted. Ultra-Orthodox men study. Along with the hiring decision, the court also ruled Tuesday that those funds should be permanently suspended.
Barak Medina, a law professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an expert on constitutional law, said many religious seminaries depend on government funding and “the general perception is that the government will not be able to recover from this crisis.”
What did the court rule? Military service is mandatory for most Jewish men and women, who serve three and two years of active duty, respectively, as well as reserve duty until age 40.
The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that mandatory military service applies to ultra-Orthodox people just like any other Israeli. The judges said that allowing a certain community to “completely avoid” service amounted to discrimination.
“Discrimination against the most precious thing — life — is the worst kind of discrimination,” the judges wrote in their opinion.
In 2017, the Supreme Court struck down the law codifying the draft exemption. Government strategies to repeatedly extend the law and delay replacement legislation have gone on for years.
Israel’s judiciary plays a major role in controlling the government’s executive power. Netanyahu attempted to overhaul the judiciary last year, sparking massive protests across the country, but a large portion of the overhaul was later repealed.
When will it be implemented? It will be challenging for the military to absorb the large number of ultra-Orthodox people who are strongly opposed to military service.
Among Israel’s Jewish majority, mandatory military service is largely seen as a melting pot and a rite of passage. The ultra-Orthodox say joining the army would threaten their generations-old way of life, and that their religious lifestyle and devotion to upholding Jewish commandments protects Israel as much as a strong military does.
The court did not set a number for recruitment in its ruling, but Israel’s Attorney General’s Office suggested that at least 3,000 ultra-Orthodox soldiers would be recruited in the coming year. The court said in its ruling that about 63,000 ultra-Orthodox students are eligible for recruitment.
For decades the military has attempted to accommodate ultra-Orthodox soldiers by creating separate units that allow them to maintain religious practices, including having minimal interaction with women. One of the units created for this purpose, Netzah Yehuda, faced potential US sanctions due to their treatment of Palestinians, although the US ultimately decided not to impose sanctions.
What effect will it have on the war in Gaza? The decision will have no immediate effect on the war in Gaza, where more than 37,600 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The number of ultra-Orthodox recruited because of the decision is too small to have a significant impact on the day-to-day fighting.
Medina, the law professor, said that if the decision topples the government, it would give Netanyahu greater leverage to negotiate a ceasefire that could end the war in Gaza.
“Right now, one of the main reasons they are being prevented from reaching an agreement to end the war is that it would mean the end of their alliance,” Medina said.
He said that if the ultra-Orthodox parties leave the coalition, Netanyahu has “nothing to lose.” And that could lead to a change in policy without pressure from far-right ministers who oppose any kind of ceasefire. Medina said that if early elections are called, Netanyahu will be under a lot of pressure to end the fighting, to avoid going into the election without hostages and with the war still raging.
