IDF sends first wave of draft notices to ultra-Orthodox Jews
9:53 AM EDT, July 21, 2024
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have sent draft notices to haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, Jews who had previously been exempt from military service. This groundbreaking decision by the army has not been accepted by the religious segment of Jewish society and its rabbis. The first batch of a thousand draft notices has already been sent, reports "The Times of Israel."
On Sunday, July 21, IDF sent 1000 draft orders to ultra-Orthodox Jews aged 18–26. This is the first of three waves of drafting planned for the next four weeks.
The issue of military service among the ultra-Orthodox community is one of the most contentious in Israel. Governmental and judicial attempts to resolve this issue have not yielded a concrete solution for decades. Religious and political leaders among the Haredi have thwarted any efforts to draft young Orthodox Jews.
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis have appealed to students to ignore all draft notices. Meanwhile, the military announced that the draft notices were sent on Sunday, July 21.
The IDF declared that it is acting in accordance with the law. It warned that individuals who ignore the draft order would not be allowed to leave the country. For refusing to report for military duty, they will be arrested by the Military Police. If they refuse again, they will be placed in military prisons.
The decision has sparked enormous opposition within the Orthodox Jewish community. The Haredi emphasize that military service is incompatible with their way of life. They also cite concerns related to secularization. In their view, the draft notices are measures aimed at limiting or eliminating the role of religion in Israel.
The army's orders are the result of a groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling in June. The court determined that there were no legal objections to drafting Haredi for military service.
