Israel to start drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews into military next month

The Israeli military will start drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews as of next August, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday.

Gallant held a discussion early Tuesday on security arrangements for recruiting ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredi, into the army, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"Gallant approved the army's recommendation to issue draft orders to members of the Haredi community next month," the statement said.

The statement did not specify the number of ultra-Orthodox Jews to be drafted.

According to The Jerusalem Post newspaper, the army could recruit about 3,000 Haredi Jews immediately, in addition to 1,800 already enlisted.

"The 3,000 is out of a class of around 10,000-12,000 per academic year, with over 60,000 Haredi potentially in play from several academic years," the newspaper said.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli religious parties on the decision.

Last month, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the Haredi must be conscripted into the army and that financial aid should be withheld from religious institutions whose students do not comply with military service requirements.

Haredi Jews, who make up about 13% of Israel's population of approximately 9.9 million, do not serve in the military, citing a commitment to study the Torah, Judaism's holy book.

Israeli law requires every Israeli citizen over 18 years old to serve in the military, and the exemption of Haredi from service has been a controversial issue for decades.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian group Hamas.

More than 38,200 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 88,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.