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Why ultra-Orthodox opposition to serving in the Israeli army is the ...
There have been widespread, large-scale protests against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in Israel for more than a year. These have been in response to a controversial judicial reform[1] plan and then the horrors of the October 7[2] Hamas attack and the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza. So far, Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government remains intact. However, draft notices sent[3] in recent days to about 1,000 young Jewish religious men now have the potential to bring it down. The current war in Gaza – as well as the heightened tensions with Hezbollah[4] in recent days – have made clear an urgent need to increase the size of the Israeli army. But the crisis surrounding the army service exemption for ultra-Orthodox youth is more than a political, economic or even moral issue. It touches on the very essence of the relationship between the Jewish state and its citizens. The origins of the exemption Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, decided[5] in 1948, during the war that resulted in the creation of Israel, to grant service exemptions in the newly founded Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to 400 ultra-Orthodox men (Haredim in Hebrew). The idea of “Torahto umanuto[6]” (“His Torah is his job”) was intended to allow these men to pursue their studies in Jewish religious institutes (yeshivas). The goal was to ensure the preservation of hundreds of years of Jewish learning and religious knowledge, which was under severe threat after millions of Jews perished in the Holocaust. For many years, the number of exemptions remained capped. Following the 1977 elections, the Likud Party secured[7] a governing coalition for the first time by wooing religious parties to join the government in exchange for removing the limitations on such exemptions. As a result, by 2021, the number of exemptions jumped to almost 10,000 Haredim[8] each year, representing 18% of the total[9] 18-year-old Jewish men and women required by law to enlist in the IDF. For decades, this arrangement has caused significant tensions[10] within Israeli society. Critics point to the inherent injustice it represents. A large majority of Israelis of all denominations dedicate years to serving in the army, with many risking their lives and even being killed in action. A politically powerful minority group, however, is given a free pass from any such obligation. Financial interests in avoiding the draft This inequality also has significant financial implications. The Haredim popul...
Israel and the UK - GOV.UK
Home Featured Alert Israel travel advice Latest guidance and warnings for British people in Israel during the regional conflict. Service Register your presence This service is for British nationals to tell the UK government you’re in Israel. Our mission We promote Britain’s security, prosperity and well-being, and regional peace, through partnership with Israel.
Zack Polanski calls for UK to withdraw trade agreement with Israel ...
Zack Polanski has called on the government to tear up the UK-Israel trade agreement after the Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Polanski also called for Keir Starmer to ban the US using UK airspace and ...
NATO Defense College - Unitatem Alentes
A new face of war - Russian military strategy post-Ukraine February 5, 2026 1 minute read News Publications The Strategy Series
