Israel at a Breaking Point: Supreme Court Mandates Military Service for Ultra-Orthodox.

Political Crisis in Israel

According to Espreso.tv: A long-standing political crisis in Israel revolves around mandatory military conscription and the status of the Haredi, a religious community that has historically received exemptions from service. Tensions escalated after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which created a shortage of personnel in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In June 2024, Israel's Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling requiring the Haredi to fulfill military duty, sparking mass protests and a political crisis within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. This decision has deepened existing societal divisions, as the country faces both security challenges and internal discord.

The Haredi Situation

Founded in 1948, Israel has maintained mandatory military service since its inception. As of 2023, the Haredi constitute roughly 13–14% of Israel's Jewish population, approximately 1.3 million people. Following the Hamas attack and the ensuing war in Gaza, the issue of drafting the Haredi became increasingly urgent. In October 2025, over ten thousand Haredi protesters gathered near the Israeli consulate in New York to voice opposition to the new military service requirements.

• During the 'Million March' in 2025, 800 arrests were made out of nearly seven thousand Orthodox draft evaders.
• As of mid-2026, the number of draft dodgers is estimated at 32,000, with another 50,000 having received warnings.

Moshe Roth: 'Torah study takes priority over everything else, and no reason, including national defense, can justify abandoning it.'

Meanwhile, Yitzhak Yosef warns that 'the community will leave Israel en masse if forced conscription is imposed.'

The issue of drafting the Haredi in Israel is complex and multifaceted, touching not only on military obligations but also on deep religious convictions and social tensions. The political crisis stemming from this conflict could have serious consequences for the stability of Netanyahu's government and Israeli society as a whole, as such protests and draft evasion risk further polarizing the country. Given the historical context, this matter is likely to remain at the center of political debate in Israel for the foreseeable future.