The government and the army have until June 24 to explain to the High Court of Justice why more draft orders have not gone out to eligible haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men, and why sanctions have not been imposed on draft dodgers.
The conditional order issued by the HCJ comes amid a war with no end in sight and troops, especially reservists, who are worn and exhausted by a year-and-a-half of war, that they have put their lives on hold and at risk for.The government’s goal is to have 4,800 haredi draftees a year, which will exponentially rise over the next few years.
The army must create new frameworks for haredi soldiers within the Israel Air Force, the Intelligence Corps, and in the field. The responsibility is on the army to create the framework, and on the haredi community to provide the troops.
Haredim make up about 14% of the population, which is estimated to grow to 16% by 2030. When it comes to drafts, numbers show stagnation rather than growth.
Shas head Arye Deri hinted at an ultimatum on the matter earlier this month to his coalition partners, demanding that yeshiva students not be arrested for dodging the draft – meaning that sanctions wouldn’t be properly applied.
And, last week, United Torah Judaism said it considered itself released from prior agreements and that it would consult with its spiritual leadership before voting in the Knesset on previously agreed issues – in an attempt to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance the legislation.
The bill is currently being debated – and will eventually be drafted – in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by Likud MK Yuli Edelstein. While the bill would increase draft numbers, it would still likely exempt most military-age haredim from service. It also faces strong pushback from reservists and other groups, as well as from some coalition members.
After dozens of meetings, the bill has yet to be formulated
The committee has held dozens of meetings on the new law, encompassing various military, economic, and social aspects, but the bill has yet to be formulated.
This is because, rather than begin proceedings from scratch, and in order to avoid having to receive approval from the Attorney-General’s Office, the governmentnt has revived a version of a bill that passed its first reading in 2022 under the Bennett-Lapid government.
The petition that resulted in the Sunday decision was filed by NGOs Movement for the Quality of Government (MGQ); Israel Hofsheet (Be Free Israel), a non-partisan movement in favor of the liberalization of state-religion relations in Israel; and the Homat Magen LaDemocratia, a protest group composed of former defense officials.MGQ called the decision a “significant step.”
Nevertheless, MCQ decried that “After 10 months, during which the government has done its best to avoid giving real answers and following previous court instructions, it continues to implement a policy that is divisive and hurtful.”
Israel Hofsheet executive director Udi Keidar said, “The conditional order is akin to a ‘yellow card’ issued to the state, shifting the burden of proof onto its shoulders. The HJC offered the state a final opportunity to prove that its current, limited recruitment policy is justified or legitimate. Should the state fail to do so, the court will be compelled to intervene and uphold the petition.”
Keidar added that the court understands that Defense Minister Israel Katz and the government “have chosen to align with draft evaders over those who serve.”
Jerusalem Post Staff and Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.