In a landmark decision, Israel’s Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students must be drafted into military service. This ruling comes as the war in Gaza stretches into its ninth month, exacerbating a shortage of manpower within the Israeli Defense Forces.
For decades, seminary students, known as yeshiva students, have been exempt from Israel’s compulsory military service, a policy that dates back to the founding of the state in 1948. However, the Supreme Court declared on Tuesday that this exemption is no longer legally justifiable.
“At this time, there is no legal framework that makes it possible to distinguish between yeshiva students and those destined for military service,” the court stated. “Accordingly, the state does not have the authority to order a blanket avoidance of their conscription.”
In addition to mandating the draft for ultra-Orthodox seminary students, the court also ordered the government to cease funding religious schools, or yeshivas, whose students avoid the draft.
Military service is compulsory for most Jewish men and women in Israel. However, the long-standing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews have been a source of contention, particularly among secular Israelis. This rift has deepened since the escalation of the Gaza conflict, which necessitated the call-up of thousands of additional soldiers.
“These days, in the midst of a difficult war, the burden of that inequality is more acute than ever – and requires the advancement of a sustainable solution to this issue,” the Supreme Court justices wrote in their ruling.
The decision marks a significant shift in Israeli policy, aiming to address the inequality in military conscription and the broader societal implications of the longstanding exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
