Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested from the Supreme Court of Israel today, Thursday, an extension for the government to devise a new mandatory recruitment plan to address the widespread anger over exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jews. The issue of exemptions is particularly sensitive because the Israeli armed forces, which consist mainly of young conscripts and civilians called up for reserve duty, have been engaged in a nearly six-month war in Gaza aimed at eliminating the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement "Hamas," which governs the Palestinian enclave.
One senior Israeli official estimated that "five percent of the population is involved in the conflict, which has extended to the Lebanese front and also caused missile strikes from Yemen." However, ultra-Orthodox Jews, the fastest-growing religious minority in Israel, are exempt from mandatory conscription. The Supreme Court nullified this exemption in 2018 to uphold the principle of equality. The parliament has failed to agree on a new arrangement, and a government order delaying mandatory conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews is set to expire on March 31.
Among those favoring a review of the exemption are the Minister of Defense and other members of Netanyahu's government concerned with managing the war. They expect the fighting to continue for months, which would put strain on human resources and fuel popular demands for calls to service based on fairness and equality. However, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties in the ruling coalition, which Netanyahu has long sought support from, want to maintain the exemptions, aiming to preserve their voter base within religious institutions and maintain their religious lifestyle.
In a letter to the Supreme Court published by Netanyahu's office, the Prime Minister stated that he has "made significant progress on the draft plan" but requested a 30-day extension "to formulate agreements." He noted that the war against Hamas militants has dominated the government's attention and is now at a critical stage.
