Israeli Society at a Crossroads: The Haredim Military Dilemma

A report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine 

With chants of "We'd rather die than enlist," hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as Haredim, in Tel Aviv protested against the demands to join mandatory military service, like other Israeli youth.

The response came from the Movement of Mothers on the Frontline: "Those who refuse to serve in the army should leave Israel."

This division in Israeli society stems from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempt to pass a law exempting the Haredim from military service. The Haredim are a religious group of Jews dedicated to studying the Torah throughout their lives and do not enlist in the army.

Today, amidst Israel's war on Gaza and the human losses suffered by the occupying army, many Israelis reject the discrimination against the Haredim, primarily as they represent 13% of Israelis and could contribute 157,000 soldiers if exemption from service were abolished.

Since 2017, successive Israeli governments have failed to reach a consensual law on Haredim enlistment, despite the Supreme Court overturning the law exempting them from military service, citing equality principles.

Today, Israeli society and the government are divided on this issue. Cabinet member for military affairs Benny Gantz threatened to withdraw from the government if the law were passed, considering its proposed formula "a threat to unity and security." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also threatened to resign from the government if the Haredim were conscripted.

These threats put Netanyahu's government at a crossroads, possibly leading to early elections, which Netanyahu fears. Will he be able to resolve the issue before the end of March, the deadline set by the Israeli Supreme Court for the government to settle the matter?