Israel's military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, the country's Supreme Court unanimously ruled yesterday in a decision that has potential ramifications for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.
Since Israel's founding in 1948, ultra-Orthodox Jewish citizens have been exempt from compulsory military service, required for the country's secular Jewish majority (both men and women). Ultra-Orthodox Jewish citizens account for roughly 13% of Israel's population, or 1 million people. The Supreme Court said the military exemption for religious scholars had no legal basis after related laws either expired or were struck down. The nine-judge panel also ordered the government to suspend millions of dollars of funding from religious schools—known as yeshivas—whose students don't comply with military draft notices.
Netanyahu's coalition includes both secular parties and two ultra-Orthodox parties. The court decision could further fracture the coalition, collapsing the government and triggering new elections, all amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. See updates on the war here.
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