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Ultra-Orthodox Men in Israel Again Exempted from Military Service
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Conflict & Security

Ultra-Orthodox Men in Israel Again Exempted from Military Service

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • Israel's parliament has approved legislation exempting ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service.
  • The laws formalize exemptions for religious studies as a state value, a concession to ultra-Orthodox political parties.
  • The move faces opposition from the military chief and many Israelis weary of the long-standing exemption system.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in Israel have secured a significant exemption from mandatory military service following parliamentary approval of new legislation. The laws, passed in a marathon session, freeze conscription for these men and establish religious studies as a "fundamental value" of the state. This represents a major concession by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party to ultra-Orthodox political factions, who have long sought to formalize their community's de facto exemption from a service that is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel.

clearly and unequivocally inconsistent

โ€” Eyal Zamir, Israeli Army Chief of StaffZamir criticized the new legislation, stating it was incompatible with the army's operational requirements.

Each year, approximately 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men reach the conscription age of 18, yet fewer than 10% enlist, according to parliamentary committee data. The legislative action comes amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, and just before the Knesset's summer recess. The parliament is set to reconvene shortly before the October 27 general election, which will also serve as a referendum on Netanyahu's wartime leadership. The prime minister is courting ultra-Orthodox voters in the upcoming election, but the move has drawn fierce opposition, including from within his own party and from the military's chief of staff.

complete desecration of God's name

โ€” Yair Lapid, Opposition LeaderLapid strongly denounced the law, calling it an insult to Israeli soldiers.

Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir criticized the proposed laws in a letter to Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, deeming them "clearly and unequivocally inconsistent" with the army's needs. The exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox date back to Israel's founding in 1948, when a small number of students were excused to revive Jewish scholarship after the Holocaust. However, the Supreme Court later ruled these exemptions illegal. Experts suggest the new law, which enshrines Torah study as a state value, provides a legal basis to counter judicial opinions. Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the law as a "complete desecration of God's name" and a "slap in the face" to Israeli soldiers.

slap in the face

โ€” Yair Lapid, Opposition LeaderLapid further expressed his strong disapproval of the law, likening it to an affront to soldiers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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