Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant today approved a plan to begin conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army, a move that is likely to further will strain relations in the fragmented right-wing coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Netanyahu's government relies on two ultra-Orthodox parties that see conscription as key to keeping their voters in religious seminaries and out of the military, which could challenge their traditional customs.
Their political leaders are staunchly opposed to conscription at a time when Israel's army is trying to bolster its ranks amid the nine-month-old war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. in the Gaza Strip.
After discussions with senior military representatives, Gallant approved their recommendations for the so-called first conscription of ultra-Orthodox men into the army next month, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The order is for an initial screening and evaluation to determine potential recruits, it said. Initial drafts are sent to Israelis when they turn 16, and they usually start military service at age 18, Reuters noted.
By law, Israelis are required to serve in the army for a total of 24 to 32 months. Members of Israel's 21 percent Arab minority are exempt from military service, although some serve in the army. For their part, ultra-Orthodox Jewish followers have also been exempted from military service in recent decades.
Last month, however, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the state must begin recruiting students from ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminaries into the army.
The long-standing exemption of the ultra-Orthodox from military service has sparked protests in recent months from ordinary Israelis. For their part, ultra-Orthodox protesters blocked roads in protest against the decision, notes Reuters.