Israeli Military Immediately Sends Military Mandatory Summons 1,000 Ultra-Orthodox Members

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with Israeli troops/PHOTO via Instagram @yoav.gallant

JAKARTA - The Israeli military will issue a call notification to 1,000 members of the ultra-Orthodox community on Sunday, July 21.

The move follows a decision by the Supreme Court last month ordering the defense ministry to end a mandatory military exemption for Jewish seminary students based on arrangements made immediately after the birth of the Israeli state when the number of them was still drinking.

As reported by Reuters on Friday, July 19, the move was strongly opposed by two religious parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, putting great pressure on the far-right coalition formed after elections in 2022.

Leaders of the fast-growing ultra-Orthodox community say that forcing seminary students to serve with secular Israelis, including women, risk destroying their identities as religious Jews. Some have urged anyone in their community to take orders to burn them down.

Following the first call, further notices for an initial 3,000 ultra-Orthodox military service are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.

The government is still trying to pass a mandatory military law that has the potential to create limited compromise and resolve problems before threatening coalition stability.

However, as Israeli forces are still at war in Gaza, more than nine months after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, and the growing threat of war in Lebanon, pressure from Israeli soldiers and secular communities to spread the burden of duty in Gaza. the military has increased significantly.

Israeli citizens are bound by law to serve in the military since the age of 18 for 24-32 months. As many as 21 percent of Arab minority members in Israel suffered mostly, although some of them were on duty.

Not all Haredim refused to serve and the Israeli Defense Force has formed a number of special units for ultra-Orthodox.

But the rejection of the plan has led to weeks of protests by the demonstrators who were afraid to die before military service and other slogans.