Israel's Knesset passed a law ending the military service exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men after a Supreme Court mandate [1, 2].
This policy shift addresses a long-standing societal dispute over the burden of military service and seeks to meet urgent security needs amid public anger [1, 4].
The legislation passed with a vote of 67 in favor and one against [1]. The move followed a unanimous nine-zero decision by the Supreme Court on June 25, 2024, which ordered the government to begin drafting the ultra-Orthodox population [4].
The ruling and subsequent law triggered immediate unrest across the country. On June 17, 2024, thousands of protesters gathered at the Beit Lid military base near Netanya [3]. In separate demonstrations, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men blocked a major highway in central Israel to protest the mandatory service ruling [3].
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government faced the deadline set by the court to resolve the exemption status [4]. The decision ends a historical practice where many ultra-Orthodox men avoided compulsory service to maintain their religious studies [1, 2].
Security officials and the government said the shift is necessary to broaden the military's manpower base. However, the transition has created significant friction between the state's security requirements, and the religious autonomy of the ultra-Orthodox community [1, 4].
“The Knesset passed a law ending the military service exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.”
The end of the ultra-Orthodox exemption represents a significant shift in Israel's social contract. By prioritizing military manpower and legal equality over religious exemptions, the government risks destabilizing its political coalition and deepening the divide between secular and religious citizens.
