Israel Faces Emerging Crisis Over Ultra-Orthodox Military Conscription

Fri Dec 05 2025 10:11:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Tensions escalate in Israel as a legislative push for ultra-Orthodox military conscription threatens the stability of the government and sparks widespread protests.

Israel is on the brink of a political crisis due to debates surrounding the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military. The current government, facing public pressure and legal challenges, seeks to modify long-standing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men in full-time religious study. Recent protests and violence indicate increasing unrest amid a more militarized society in the wake of ongoing conflicts, as the government strives for a compromise that balances religious practices and national service obligations.

An impending crisis over conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israeli army is threatening to undermine Israel's government and split the country.

Public opinion on the issue has shifted dramatically in Israel after two years of war, and this is now perhaps the most explosive political risk facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lawmakers are currently considering a draft bill to end the exemption granted to ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in full-time religious study, which dates back to the establishment of the state in 1948.

This exemption was ruled illegal by Israel's High Court of Justice almost 20 years ago, and last year's temporary arrangements to continue it were formally ended by the court, forcing the government to draft the community.

Some 24,000 draft notices were issued last year, but only around 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.

Tensions are erupting onto the streets, with lawmakers now debating a new draft bill to force ultra-Orthodox men into military service alongside other Israeli Jews.

Two Haredi politicians were targeted this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.

Last week, a special Border Police unit had to rescue Military Police officers who were targeted by a large crowd of Haredi men as they tried to arrest a suspected draft-evader.

These arrests have sparked the creation of a new messaging system called 'Black Alert' to spread word quickly through ultra-Orthodox communities and summon protesters to prevent arrests.

The push to conscript more ultra-Orthodox also triggered a vast protest by tens of thousands of Haredi men in Jerusalem last month - with the issue seen by many as part of a wider conflict surrounding the identity of the Jewish state.

Opinion polls indicate rising support for ultra-Orthodox conscription, with a survey showing 85% of non-Haredi Jews in favor of sanctions against those shirking draft orders.

As pressure mounts, some lawmakers within Netanyahu's coalition express skepticism over the draft bill's leniency, while ultra-Orthodox parties grapple with maintaining their exemptions amid a changing public sentiment. The legislative process continues, but the debate over what it means to be Jewish and Israeli becomes ever more critical in this evolving national discourse.