On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to the Knesset about the urgent need for 10,000 new recruits to join the Armed Forces. However, this goal is only achievable if a solution is found for the ultra-Orthodox population, which is currently exempt from military service due to a Supreme Court decision.
In a closed-door session with the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Gallant explained that enlisting ultra-Orthodox individuals through government decree would be more preferable than passing a law in parliament. Despite ongoing discussions with the ultra-Orthodox community about increasing their enlistment quota by 5 percent annually, an agreement has not yet been reached.
The recent Supreme Court decision to lift the exemption for ultra-Orthodox individuals has sparked significant tensions within Israel and led to an immediate call-up of 3,000 members of this community by the Prosecutor’s Office. The process of managing recruitment and negotiating agreements with different groups remains complex and ongoing.
