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Israel conscripts thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews

Ultra-Orthodox Jews demonstrate against the rule changes.

(Bild: AFP/JACK GUEZ)

According to media reports, Israel's military plans to issue new conscription orders for ultra-Orthodox men next Sunday. Around 7000 strict believers are to receive notices.

Former Defense Minister Joav Galant had approved the sending of the draft notices before his dismissal, reported the "Times of Israel". The military therefore wanted to send out the notifications as planned. Israel Katz, the new defense minister, did not cancel the measure.

According to the media, around 3,000 strictly religious men had already received call-up notices in the summer. However, only a fraction of them subsequently turned up at military conscription centers. The army would like to draft the ultra-Orthodox into military service next year following a selection process.

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Strictly religious men were exempt from compulsory military service in Israel for decades. However, an exemption expired several months ago. The Israeli government failed to pass a law to cement the exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox. The Supreme Court finally issued a ruling in the summer that ultra-Orthodox men must be conscripted for military service.

The ultra-religious parties in the ruling coalition are angry about this. Many ultra-Orthodox feel that military service is a threat to their pious lifestyle, partly because women and men serve together. Many people in Israel, on the other hand, feel it is unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews have not previously had to serve in the armed forces and have been exempt from dangerous combat missions.

In view of the wars against the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel's military is warning of a shortage of combat-ready soldiers.