The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it will begin drafting students from ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminaries (Haredim) into the army next week, ending a longstanding exemption that has kept this group from mandatory military service.
This issue is particularly sensitive amidst the ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and related confrontations on other fronts, which have resulted in the worst losses among regular and reserve soldiers.
In June, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the government must begin conscripting the Haredim into the military, adding more political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An Israeli military statement mentioned that starting next Sunday, it will “issue call-up orders for the first batch” ahead of the upcoming July recruitment cycle.
Limited clashes erupted on Tuesday between Haredim protesters and the police after dozens blocked a major highway in Israel, but authorities soon managed to disperse the protest.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition includes two ultra-conservative parties that consider the exemptions crucial for retaining the support of their voters in religious seminaries and to prevent the assimilation of these supporters into the military, which could clash with their conservative customs.
This issue has sparked protests from the ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up 13% of Israel’s population of ten million, a percentage expected to reach 19% by 2035.
Their refusal to serve in wars they support is an increasingly contentious issue within Israeli society.
Israelis are generally required at age 18 to serve 32 months for men and 24 months for women.
