Israeli high court rules ultra-Orthodox men must serve in the military
The Israeli high court ruled on Tuesday that ultra-Orthodox men previously exempt from military services must be drafted, in a major blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
The decree also states that ultra-Orthodox men studying in religious seminaries, known as yeshivas, can no longer receive government funding if they refuse to serve without being formally exempt.
The military draft exemption of ultra-Orthodox men, ongoing for decades, has polarised Israelis since the early days of the state.
Members of the ultra-Orthodox community, otherwise known as the Haredim, strongly oppose service in the military, while secular and non-Orthodox Jews say the exemption violates the principle of equality.
The debate over the exemptions grew in recent months amid the Israeli wars in Gaza and Lebanon, which increased the need for additional soldiers.
Read more: Israeli high court rules ultra-Orthodox men must serve in the military
