A new draft law proposing minimal military service requirements for ultra-Orthodox Jews has reignited political divisions in "Israel", where conscription is mandatory for most citizens. The proposal, introduced on Thursday by Boaz Bismuth, head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs Committee, significantly reduces penalties and enlistment quotas for ultra-Orthodox men, who make up roughly 14% of the Jewish population.

Under a practice dating back to 1948, men who study full-time in religious seminaries (yeshivas) have long been exempted from service in the Israeli occupation army. However, this longstanding arrangement has increasingly come under fire, particularly as tens of thousands of soldiers are currently deployed across multiple fronts, despite a fragile truce halting the war on Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition hinges on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties, including Shas and United Torah Judaism. Both parties fiercely opposed a July draft bill that sought to gradually increase enlistment among the ultra-Orthodox and impose financial penalties on those who refused.

In protest, United Torah Judaism withdrew from the government in July, while Shas ministers resigned from the cabinet. Although Shas has not formally exited the coalition, the party is now threatening to bring down the government if Netanyahu fails to honor conscription exemptions promised during coalition talks in 2022. With their departure, Netanyahu’s coalition is left with just 60 out of 120 seats.

Softened penalties draw outrage

The revised bill proposes only symbolic penalties for those who refuse to serve, such as restrictions on foreign travel and obtaining a driver's license, while lowering the number of required enlistments and easing pathways to exemption. Yedioth Ahronoth blasted the bill with a front-page headline reading: "Conscription on paper only", calling it "an obvious fraud."

Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the draft as an "anti-Zionist disgrace," accusing the government of capitulating to "the contemptible politics of the corrupt and the draft dodgers." Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett echoed those criticisms, warning that the bill amounted to “a declaration of war on the reservists."

In June 2024, "Israel's" Supreme Court ruled that the exemption policy for ultra-Orthodox men had expired and ordered the government to present a viable conscription plan, reinforcing the ruling on November 19, when the court demanded the government produce a framework addressing the issue.

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The court noted that the "flagrant inequality" caused by the exemption system had been exacerbated by the war on Gaza, which broke out after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023. The ruling also stated that ultra-Orthodox conscription had become a "real security need," with the army reportedly facing a shortfall of 12,000 soldiers.

Military data suggests that only 2% of ultra-Orthodox men respond to draft notices, indicating that roughly 66,000 men of military age are currently exempt, the highest number on record.

Despite efforts to create military units tailored to the ultra-Orthodox, including separate accommodations and religious observance, enlistment remains minimal. Meanwhile, subsidies to yeshivas have been cut, further aggravating ultra-Orthodox leadership. The new draft law will be debated in the Knesset on Monday, where it is expected to face stiff resistance from the opposition.