Israel’s military has issued 1,126 arrest warrants for ultra-Orthodox conscripts who have not responded to drafting orders, in a move likely to fuel discontent over a controversial decision to remove their decades-long exemption from service.
The move is likely to fuel the discontent that has roiled the country since a Supreme Court ruling in June that ultra-Orthodox Jews could not be exempt from military service, as they have been since the founding of Israel.
‘Death rather than draft’Anger had been simmering among the ultra-Orthodox community even before the news of the arrest warrants.
For many Haredis, the idea that they would be pulled from studying scripture and drafted into Israel’s military is simply out of the question.
However, the community has since grown exponentially, allowing tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men to now avoid the draft.
Persons:
Shay Tayeb, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Yoav Gallant, Tayib, ”, Yair Lapid, Katz, scuffles, Yona Kaye, “, ” Kaye
Organizations:
Defense, dodgers, Reuters
Locations:
Brig, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Gen, Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv