End of tradition: who Israel to draft after court ruling
Illustrative photo: IDF army (Getty Images)
Israel is preparing for a mass draft following a key court ruling. In the coming weeks, the army will send out tens of thousands of call-up notices to those who previously had exemptions, according to Reuters.
In July, the IDF plans to send around 54,000 draft notices to individuals who were previously exempt from service, namely, ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students.
This comes after a landmark Supreme Court decision that overturned long-standing exemptions granted to this group. The exemption had originally been justified when the ultra-Orthodox community represented a much smaller share of the population; today, it makes up about 13%.
Military service in Israel is mandatory for most Jewish citizens from age 18, lasting two to nearly three years, followed by reserve duty. Arab citizens, who make up about 21% of the population, are largely exempt, though some still choose to serve.
Netanyahu's coalition at risk amid pushback
The news of mass draft notices comes as two ultra-Orthodox parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition seek a compromise in parliament. Their leaders fear that serving alongside secular soldiers, especially women, could endanger the religious identity of young seminary students.
At the same time, the court decision and growing security pressures have made expanding the military even more urgent. Israel is currently facing simultaneous threats from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran.
The military has pledged to accommodate the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle and gradually integrate them into service through tailored programs.
Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel may soon expand its peace accords. Read more about the three key changes proposed by Hamas in RBC-Ukraine’s report.
