The Israeli military had on Tuesday, announced that they will from next week, begin the process of drafting candidates from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community.
Israelis are compelled by law to serve in the military from the age of 18 for 24-32 months. Members of Israel’s 21% Arab minority and ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students have largely been exempt from this law for decades.
Israel’s Supreme Court had in June, ruled that the defence ministry must terminate the longstanding exemption for ultra-Orthodox seminary students. This vocal announcement created new political strains for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An Israeli military statement revealed that as from Sunday “the process of issuing initial summons orders for the first call-up” ahead of the upcoming July recruitment cycle would officially begin.
Minor clashes were reported on Tuesday between the ultra-Orthodox protesters and police as dozens of them barricaded a main Israeli highway but they had been quickly dispersed by the officials.
However, this development has spurred more protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up 13% of Israel’s 10 million population.
Their refusal to serve in wars they generally support is a long chafing schism in the Israeli society.
Why It Matters
The supporters of the Israeli government’s decision have argued that military service is a civic duty that should apply to all citizens equally. According to them, drafting ultra-Orthodox students, would help to create a more equitable system where everyone will partake in the burden of defending the nation.
On the other hand however, skeptics worry that consolidating these individuals into the military might compromise security as these religious students often lead sheltered lives and may not adapt effectively to the demands of military service.
