The issue of haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) in Israel not serving in the IDF has been a contentious topic for decades.
In the current status quo established in the early days of the State of Israel, haredi yeshiva students have an exemption from serving in the IDF or partaking in Sherut Leumi (national service). However, this has caused many others in Israel to feel there is an unfair distribution of the burden of serving the country. Coupled with the low employment rates for haredim in Israel, and this has led to widespread tension against ultra-Orthodox Israelis.
The courts have ruled that the current exemption for haredim not to serve in the army is illegal and efforts to resolve the issue are still ongoing.
The question isn’t whether change will come – it’s already happening at the margins – but rather how deep it will penetrate into the core of haredi society.
According to the polling, in a scenario where a party led by Bennett runs in the elections, the Bennet-led opposition bloc would secure a majority of 66 seats.
Smotrich argued that the haredi parties should support the budget regardless – and then could topple the government over the draft, if they wished.
“Our parents in heaven, listening to this conversation, must be proud," Lapid said in response to Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
Most of Halevi's comments were kept classified as part of the closed session, but select remarks were leaked to the media.
Katz denies Liberman’s claims of bias in IDF interviews as haredi draft law controversy heats up in the Knesset.
Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs intends to begin by drafting 4,800 haredim in the 2024 draft year (between July 2024 – June 2025).
"Dina d’malchuta dina (“the law of the land is the law”) requires Jews to obey the statutes of a legally constituted government, such as Israeli law mandating conscription into the IDF."
One of the associated hotlines actively works to intervene in cases of arrested draft dodgers.
Alas, these fine initiatives only nibble at the edges of the military, societal, and ideological need, which is a significant draft to the fighting army of 18 to 26-year-old haredi men.
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