Israeli government faces opposition over ultra-Orthodox conscription policy

Israel’s ruling coalition has submitted a call for an early election following continued disputes with government allies over ultra-Orthodox conscription. The request, which is expected to pass in the Knesset next week, would trigger a general election within 90 days of its passage, projected to take place in late August.

The issue at hand concerns the exemption of ultra-Orthodox constituents from military service, a policy that has been a contentious topic in recent years. The exemption was first introduced in 1948 and was ruled illegal by Israel’s High Court of Justice in 1998. However, the court later intervened again in 2024, ordering the government to begin actively conscripting ultra-Orthodox men.

Despite this order, compliance with the draft has remained minimal, with only 1,200 ultra-Orthodox recruits responding to roughly 24,000 summons issued by the military so far. The refusal of many in the ultra-Orthodox population is typically grounded in religious belief and a desire to preserve their way of life.

The issue has sparked opposition from various political strands in Israeli society, with polls showing that around four-fifths of Israelis favour conscripting Haredi men or imposing sanctions on those who refuse. Opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett have been critical of the policy, promising to end benefits to religious students if they refuse national service.

The Israeli military is currently in need of new recruits due to ongoing conflicts in the region. The government’s request for an early election has been triggered by the continued disputes with ultra-Orthodox parties over this issue.

Source: Al Jazeera