Israel’s Supreme Court Ends Decades-Old Military Exemption for Ultra-Orthodox Jews

Israel’s Supreme Court has recently ruled that Ultra-Orthodox Jews are no longer exempt from military conscription, a decision that has ignited tensions across the nation. This landmark ruling ends a nearly 80-year-long exemption, sparking massive protests in Jerusalem and posing a significant challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. With society at large supporting the decision, the government faces pressure to integrate Ultra-Orthodox Jews into military service, despite strong opposition from within the Ultra-Orthodox community itself.

• Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that Ultra-Orthodox Jews must be conscripted into the military, ending their nearly 80-year exemption.
• The decision is popular among the general Israeli public who believe it’s time to reduce exemptions and integrate the Ultra-Orthodox community into military service.
• Massive protests against the conscription of Ultra-Orthodox Jews have erupted in Jerusalem, with participants arguing that enlistment contradicts their religious commitments.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government faces a dilemma as Ultra-Orthodox coalition partners threaten to leave the government over the conscription issue.
• In Jerusalem’s Ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, there is strong resistance against military service, with threats of mass jailings over non-compliance.
• About 60,000 conscription-aged Ultra-Orthodox men are potentially affected by this ruling, challenging the government’s ability to enforce the new law.
• Academics and experts predict that the government coalition may not be able to delay addressing this issue for long, suggesting that elections could be a consequence.
• The Ultra-Orthodox community, making up about 13% of Israel’s population, prioritizes religious study and law, viewing military service as incompatible with their way of life.
• Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, there is skepticism about the Ultra-Orthodox community’s compliance with any new conscription laws.
• The issue of Ultra-Orthodox conscription has been a point of contention for decades, rooted in a political agreement dating back to Israel’s first Prime Minister, Ben-Gurion.
• Recent events and societal pressures have brought the issue to the forefront, challenging longstanding exemptions and demanding a more equitable distribution of military service obligations.

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