Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz has authorized the issuance of 7,000 draft notices to chareidim starting next week, a decision that has provoked outrage from the United Torah Judaism party, a key member of the ruling coalition.
This move was initially approved by former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who was dismissed by Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu earlier this month. Although some anticipated Katz might reverse Gallant’s decision, he opted not to, and the Israel Defense Forces confirmed earlier this week that the plan would proceed.
The first batch of 1,000 enlistment notices will be dispatched on Sunday, with the remaining orders set to follow in the coming months.
The Defense Ministry stated that Katz is committed to “holding an in-depth dialogue with all the parties to try and advance an agreed solution, which will allow a true integration of the chareidim into the IDF to ease the burden on the conscript, career, and reserve soldiers.”
Katz emphasized that “the IDF will do everything to allow the chareidim [soldiers] a supportive environment that will ensure their ability to fulfill their tasks in the IDF, alongside maintaining their religious lifestyle.”
The chareidi coalition partners, including UTJ and Shas, have been advocating for a law to formalize military exemptions for yeshiva students and other members of the chareidi community. This push comes after the High Court’s June ruling that longstanding exemptions violate the principle of equality and are therefore illegal.
Both UTJ and Shas have blamed Gallant and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for obstructing the passage of legislation that would enshrine these exemptions. Katz’s decision to proceed with issuing draft orders prompted a senior UTJ figure to tell Hebrew media: “It turns out it’s not the attorney general or Gallant — the Likud has decided to declare war on the chareidim.”
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid praised Katz’s action, writing on X: “I said in the Knesset that if you send the 7,000 draft orders to the chareidim, soldiers and reservists will know that you are there for them. You did it without shying away.”
The IDF reported on Thursday that the number of chareidi recruits has risen this year, although the figures remain far below the military’s recruitment targets.
The IDF has stated that it currently needs approximately 10,000 new soldiers, with 75 percent expected to serve in combat roles. However, logistical constraints mean that only 3,000 chareidi recruits can be accommodated this year, in addition to the approximately 1,800 chareidi soldiers already drafted annually.
This summer, the IDF sent out 3,000 draft notices to chareidi men aged 18-26, but fewer than 10 percent of recipients reported to induction centers.
The debate over military service for the chareidi community remains one of Israel’s most polarizing issues. Despite numerous governmental and judicial efforts, a long-term resolution has yet to be achieved. Chareidi leaders remain staunchly opposed to drafting their young men.
Many chareidi Jews argue that military service conflicts with their religious way of life and fear it could lead to secularization among those who enlist.
Conversely, Israelis who serve in the military view the system of mass exemptions as an unfair burden, a sentiment that has grown stronger since the October 7, 2023, attack and the ensuing war. To date, over 780 soldiers have been killed, and roughly 300,000 civilians have been mobilized for reserve duty.
{Matzav.com}