IDF to issue draft orders for 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men
After the Supreme Court ruled ultra-Orthodox men must also serve, IDF prepares to summon thousands of yeshiva students
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The Israel Defense Forces submitted a plan to issue some 3,000 draft orders to ultra-Orthodox young men i24NEWS learned Monday.
Israel's Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled last month that the state must act immediately to draft yeshiva students amid a lack of manpower in the military. The court said that funding should be stopped for yeshiva students who do not enlist to apply pressure.
The ruling stated that, "while in 1949 the number of yeshiva students who did not enlist was limited and stood at only about 400 yeshiva students, over the years, 'quantity has turned into quality' and today, the number of yeshiva students is on a completely different magnitude. According to the data presented by the state, at the end of June 2023, the number stood at about 63 thousand students."
The IDF, lamenting the reservists serving more than 100 days since the start of the war with Hamas on October 7, has urged the government to provide it with more soldiers. Along with drafting ultra-Orthodox, Israel is also set to increase regular service for men from 32 months to 36 months.
After the Supreme Court struck down a law that would enshrine the longstanding policy of providing yeshiva student with draft exemptions, thousands of protesters against the move blocked roads and rallied against the government.
The conscription of ultra-Orthodox men also threatens to topple the government, as a key part of the coalition is made up of ultra-Orthodox parties.