Israel: Ultra Orthodox Men To Be Drafted Into The Military Starting April 1, Supreme Court Rules

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Ultra-Orthodox parties are in “shock” following last week’s Supreme Court ruling that some 13,000 previously exempt Yeshiva students of army age must be recruited into the Israel Defense Forces starting on April 1.

A matter of longstanding contention in a country at continual war with surrounding enemies since its independence in 1948, Haredi men have been exempt from Israel’s mandatory conscription of all 18-year-olds. Young Israeli men are required to serve for three years and then enter the reserve forces, while women serve for two years.

Up to now, Haredi students have also received a stipend from the state to study at Yeshiva instead of serving in the army: students received between 470 ($127) and 800 ($218) shekels per month from the state.

With the government having been unable to pass a law exempting Yeshiva students from the military, Israel’s highest court ruled Thursday that, as of April 1, the state must begin drafting Haredi men. The court ordered the state to present an affidavit by the end of April explaining what steps it will be taking to follow through on the ruling. Moreover, the court ruled that, as of April 1, the state can no longer pay stipends to Yeshiva students who do not serve in the army.

“[Hamas’s attack against Israel on] October 7 highlighted Israel’s need for a much larger army, which means the country no longer has the luxury to grant deferments to 13,000 able-bodied young men,” the Jerusalem Post noted in a report.

In a statement to Israeli media, Barak Seir, a former adviser to Ariyeh Deri who leads the Shas Haredi party, said: “From the moment that the court ruled, the Haredi parties have been in utter shock. They were stunned by the ruling that funding will stop this Monday…This is the worst situation the Haredim have ever been in.”

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