In a landmark decision, Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted into the military, marking a significant shift in Israeli society and potentially destabilizing the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The court's unanimous decision came after years of controversy over the role of ultra-Orthodox communities in Israeli society and their exemption from mandatory military service. The ruling seeks to overturn this longstanding practice, which has been a source of anger among the secular public and criticism from international human rights organizations.
The court found that Israel's compulsory military service system applies to ultra-Orthodox men like any other citizen, as there is no law distinguishing between Jewish seminary students and other draftees. The state was carrying out 'invalid selective enforcement,' the ruling stated, which represents a serious violation of the rule of law and the principle according to which all individuals are equal before the law.
The decision has sparked reactions from various political figures, with some expressing disappointment and others threatening to leave Netanyahu's governing coalition. The ultra-Orthodox parties that have been key partners in Netanyahu's coalition oppose any change in the current system, leading to suggestions that this could jolt the coalition or even cause its collapse.
The military has called up tens of thousands of soldiers and needs all the manpower it can get as casualties continue to mount. The Israeli parliament's State Control Committee reports that roughly 13,000 ultra-Orthodox males reach the conscription age of 18 each year, but fewer than 10% enlist.
The ultra-Orthodox community is the fastest-growing segment of Israel's population at about 4% annually. Critics argue that these men are ill-prepared to serve in the military or enter the secular workforce due to their religious studies, which focus on religious topics with little attention given to math, science, and English.
The ruling comes as Israel faces ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Hamas-led militants have killed hundreds of soldiers and thousands more were injured during the recent war in Gaza. The Israeli military needs all the manpower it can get to maintain security for its citizens.
Despite calls for expanding the war, ultra-Orthodox parties that are key partners in Netanyahu's governing coalition oppose any change in the current system. Cabinet minister Yitzhak Goldknopf called the ruling 'very unfortunate and disappointing,' but did not say whether his party would leave the government.
The Israeli Supreme Court's decision to draft ultra-Orthodox men into military service marks a significant shift in Israeli society, potentially leading to further division and instability within the country.
