The Supreme Court in Israel passed a ruling on Tuesday stating that the country must initiate the drafting of ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary into the military, which may divide Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.
Netanyahu’s government depends on two ultra-Orthodox parties for its successful execution since such parties see exemption from conscription as “an important tool” to keep adherents in religious seminaries and prevent them from joining a mixed pot that could challenge their conservative ways.
Party leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling but there were no imminent threats against the government.
However, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s supports of military beginning registration of seminary students is likely to spread crack nets in Netanyahu’s increasingly brittle coalition.
Because Israeli armed forces are over stretched by multi-front wars with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, when there have been recent calls to scale back this exemption from national service it has become particularly contentious.
“In times of difficult war, inequality rises,” said the court ruling unanimously agreed upon by judges. Most Israelis are required by law to join the army at 18: men must serve three years and women two years. Members of Israel’s 21 percent Arab minority are exempt, though some do serve, and ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students have also been largely exempt for decades.
Although last year saw an end to legislation allowing exemption for yeshiva students, they were allowed not to enlist by authorities.“If there is no new legal basis for an exemption then according to Supreme Court judgment one be drafted.” Moreover, if someone who falls under this category does not get deferred or exempted then their college should not receive funding says this decision.
The prospects for agreement on a bill being discussed currently among parliamentarians dealing with this issue have been presented by Minister Kisch (Education), Likud talking about a compromise.
“Not during ‘brother vs. brother’ civil war; we will remain united even during tough times,” Kisch said.
This is a matter of life and death
The military has repeatedly said that it needs more recruits but ultra-Orthodox leaders want the exemptions to stay due to existential reasons.
“Not a single judge there who understands what learning Torah means, how it’s perceived by the Jewish people throughout the ages,” said ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Moshe Gafni, head of parliament’s powerful Finance Committee, referring to the study of Jewish holy books.
Opposition parties welcomed the decision.
“The army service dodging isn’t a Jewish thing.” This was voiced by opposition figure and former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
For more than six years, the state had been asking Supreme Court for more time to pass a new conscription law to resolve this issue. In case wide agreement is reached on the new draft bill currently being prepared in parliament then crisis will be over. Otherwise, it could potentially bring Netanyahu’s government down.
Gallant, who is known for his independent stance on many occasions vis-a-vis Netanyahu, wants fairer burden sharing between Israelis; such sentiments are shared by various other members in Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as most of those in opposition parties.
The ultra-Orthodox, however, invoke violent demonstrations of the long-standing military waiver that have been witnessed in the country over the past few months. Under the banner “death before conscription,” they go out to block roads in the city.
These waivers are also felt economically at large. The ultraorthodox make up 13% of Israel’s population of 10 million and this number is expected to rise to 19% by 2035 due to their high fertility rates.
This exemption keeps some individuals within seminaries and not in employment thus hindering economic growth and placing a burden on welfare that will be borne by middle-class tax payers.
Israel’s Arab minority who form 21 percent are also mostly exempted from military draft.
