The deepening schism over military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews has become a defining issue in Israel's election, with Haredi parties holding significant sway over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank.
The bitter row over compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews has erupted into street clashes and become a central issue in Israel's upcoming election. In early October, military police attempting to arrest a young Haredi man for evading conscription were met by hundreds of protesters in Modi'in, with videos showing ultra-Orthodox men denouncing security forces.
The ultra-Orthodox community, now estimated at 14% of the population and growing rapidly, has long been exempt from military service to focus on religious study. But with Israel fighting wars in Gaza and the West Bank, and the Supreme Court ruling the exemption null and void two years ago, public pressure for conscription has surged.
Polls show strong support among Israeli Jews for drafting the ultra-Orthodox, who receive substantial state subsidies, estimated at 35bn shekels a year, without contributing to national defence or the workforce. Many Israelis see this as a dereliction of duty, especially as others serve hundreds of days in reserve duty.
For the Haredi community, military service threatens their way of life. Rabbi Dov Landau, a senior leader, argued that Torah study, not army service, protects Israel spiritually. 'Salvation only comes through Torah learning,' he said, adding that students should not even attend the funerals of fallen soldiers.
Political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin told the BBC that the issue is 'the most burning' for right-wing communities in particular, who are furious that the government protects the exemption while their own sons serve and die.
The row has direct electoral consequences. Haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) have been key coalition partners for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, using their clout to block enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling. UTJ briefly left the coalition but continues to back it from outside. Centre-right candidate Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival, has condemned the 'state within a state' and said Israel cannot tolerate such exemptions.
With no clear majority expected, the Haredi parties could determine who forms the next government, making the military service row a pivotal election issue.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outcome could reshape Israel's military manpower and the social contract between religious and secular communities.
- It affects the stability of Netanyahu's government and the broader political landscape.
- The issue highlights tensions in a democracy over balancing religious freedoms with national security obligations.
Background
The Haredi community has grown from a tiny minority to a significant population share. Their exemption from military service dates back to Israel's founding, but the Supreme Court's 2024 ruling voided it. The wars following October 7, 2023, have intensified the debate over who serves and who does not.
Key Perspectives
Rabbi Dov Landau (Haredi leader): Said that Torah students should not serve in the army or even attend funerals, as their spiritual protection is more vital than military service.
Dahlia Scheindlin (political analyst): Called the exemption the most burning issue for right-wing and broader Israeli society, who resent the draft exemption at a time of war.
Gadi Eisenkot (centre-right candidate): Argued that Israel cannot accept a 'state within a state' and that everyone must share the burden.
What to Watch
- The election result and whether Haredi parties remain in government.
- Enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling on conscription.
- Further protests or clashes as the issue polarizes.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 6 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRabbi Dov Landau said, “Salvation only comes through Torah learning.”BBC News: ““Salvation only comes through Torah learning, orderly Torah learning.””
- SupportedDahlia Scheindlin described the issue as “the most burning” for right-wing communities and said they were furious at the government for protecting the exemption while their sons serve and die.BBC News: ““Really the most burning, more immediate issue is the right-wing communities who are furious at the government for protecting the blanket exemption from the IDF””
- SupportedGadi Eisenkot said Israel cannot tolerate a “state within a state.”BBC News: ““A country that sends its best sons and daughters to fight and sacrifice their lives cannot tolerate a reality in which a state within a state exists,” he said.”
- SupportedThe bitter row over ultra-Orthodox military service shapes Israel’s election.BBC News: “This is a row that is playing out in the election.”
- Partly supportedThe exemption is a pivotal issue as Netanyahu courts coalition partners.BBC News: “To have any chance of staying in power, Netanyahu needs to keep the ultra-Orthodox parties on side”
- Partly supportedThe military-service schism has become a defining issue in Israel’s election, with Haredi parties holding significant sway over Netanyahu’s political future.BBC News: “National security and the economy are two of the key issues this election. That means the division between the ultra-Orthodox and the majority of Israelis who believe they are not contributing their fair share to either is starker than ever.”
- Partly supportedThe schism is playing out amid ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and the West Bank.BBC News: “the wars Israel is currently fighting, including the unresolved conflict against Hamas in Gaza - as well as increasing violence by extremist settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.”
- SupportedIn early October in Modi’in, military police came to arrest a young Haredi man who had failed to report for service and faced hundreds of protesters.BBC News: “The clash in early October, seen by the BBC in a video, is one of many in recent months ... where a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish (or Haredi) man lives. The police have come to arrest him after he failed to report for military service.”
- SupportedHaredim are estimated to make up about 14% of the population, and their numbers are growing.BBC News: “Currently, they are estimated to make up about 14% of the population, and the birth rate within the community remains far higher than among other Israelis.”
- Partly supportedThe Supreme Court ruled the exemption null and void two years ago.BBC News: “Two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the exemption for ultra-Orthodox men from serving in the military was effectively null and void.”
- Partly supportedThe community receives 35bn shekels a year in subsidies without contributing to national defence or the workforce.BBC News: “Subsidies to the group are estimated to cost the government 35bn shekels (£8.4bn) per year”
- Partly supportedMany Israelis have served hundreds of days in reserve duty.BBC News: “The IDF has bemoaned a deficit in manpower, while many Israelis have had to serve hundreds of days in the past three years.”