• The Israeli Government begins sending out draft notices to Ultra-Orthodox Jews who make up approximately 13% of the Israeli population
• Ultra-Orthodox groups protest the Israeli order by calling it out as not conscription but an “indoctrination” process for their children
On Sunday all ultra-Orthodox Jews defined by the Israeli Supreme Court as being of conscription age are expected to report for enlistment for ‘military service’ with the IDF.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 13% of Israel’s population of approximately 9.9 million and do not serve in the military, dedicating their lives to studying the Torah.
Astonishing Israeli Court Ruling
While they studied, Israeli law required all other Israelis over 18 to serve in the military. The exemption which ultra-Orthodox Jews carried had been a contentious issue for decades. More recently, since October 8th with the mass murder of Palestinians and inciting war and terrorism with neighbouring nations, the exemptions created resentment among Israelis.
The announcement followed a landmark Israeli Supreme Court order for young religious men (yeshiva) to begin enlisting for military service.The court ruled that the system of exemptions, which allowed religious men to study in Jewish seminaries while others were forced to serve in the army, was discriminatory. One would assume that this meant that the court was declaring the ultra-Orthodox way of life as antisemitic.
The enlistment process could be difficult to enforce if there is a large-scale refusal to comply. The IDF did not say when it expects ultra-Orthodox men to begin serving or how many it expects to enlist.
Most Haredi Jews oppose Zionism in some way with groups like Neturei Karta and the Satmar Hasidim who do not recognise the modern State of Israel.
Man challenged by ultra-Orthodox Jew over his Zionist beliefs
Political and Religious Ramifications
Prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbis urged yeshiva students to refuse any contact with the Israel Defence Forces, as the parties that represent their community escalated threats to leave the coalition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to pass a law to exempt Haredi men from military service by the end of the Knesset’s summer session.
A leading Ashkenazi rabbi joined earlier calls by Sephardi rabbis for yeshiva students not to “show up at [IDF] draft offices at all.”
Other Ultra-Orthodox leaders have said religious study is equally important for their future and that their generations-old way of life will be threatened if their followers serve in the army.
In a front-page article in the Yated Ne’eman daily — which is affiliated with the non-Hasidic Degel Hatorah faction of the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, a key coalition partner of Netanyahu — Rabbi Dov Lando charged that the Israeli judicial system had “declared war against the Torah world.”
Jews Conduct Mass Protests Against Israelis
Past attempts to enlist ultra-Orthodox men had not only failed but also triggered mass protests across communities.
Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men blocked a main highway in central Israel for several hours on Tuesday in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv.
“The army is not an army for fighting. It’s an army with indoctrination” against religion, said Yona Kay, a protester. “Therefore our children, our boys — and I have a son over here — will not go to the army, not for one minute.”
On Monday night, dozens of ultra-Orthodox surrounded the cars of senior military commanders who were meeting with local rabbis in Bnei Brak to discuss an ultra-Orthodox unit in the army. The crowd threatened the officers, calling them “murderers” and throwing bottles, according to Israeli media.
Will this Create a Civil War?
Though unlikely to lead to a civil war from what can be surmised, ultra-Orthodox leaders of the different parties have not said what steps they will take. Netanyahu’s government relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties who opposed the changes that have now been passed into law.
If they leave the ruling coalition, the government will likely collapse and the country will be plunged into early elections two years ahead of schedule, making Netanyahu no longer Prime Minister but would become a fugitive with numerous warrants for his genocidal role over Palestine and past corruption charges which have been waiting for himsince January 2017.
