ISRAEL’S DEFENCE MINISTER GALLANT APPROVES 7,000 CALL-UP ORDERS FOR ULTRA-ORTHODOX

Tue 05 November 2024:

Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant approved the Israeli army’s “recommendation to issue an additional 7,000 orders for screening and evaluation processes for ultra-Orthodox draft-eligible individuals”.

The order comes after a first round of 3,000 draft orders were sent out in July, sparking protests from the ultra-Orthodox community.

“The defence minister concluded that the war and the challenges we face underscore the [Israeli army’s] need for additional soldiers. This is a tangible operational need that requires broad national mobilisation from all parts of society,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Under a rule adopted at Israel’s creation in 1948, when it applied to only 400 people, the ultra-Orthodox have historically been exempt from military service if they dedicate themselves to the study of sacred Jewish texts.

The orders come at a time when Israel struggles to bolster troop numbers as it fights a multi-front war, with ground forces deployed to fight Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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Since late July, only 900 of the 3,000 Haredim who received draft notices have reported to enlistment offices.

Gallant noted that “the war and current challenges underscore the need for additional soldiers, highlighting an operational requirement that calls for broad national mobilization,” Israel Hayom reported.

Earlier Monday, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported that the Israeli army urgently requires 7,000 additional troops.

On June 25, Israel’s Supreme Court mandated Haredi enlistment in the army, cutting financial aid to religious institutions whose students refuse to serve.

Leading rabbis, viewed as religious authorities within the Haredi community, have called for resistance to the draft, even urging followers to “tear up” draft notices.

The Haredi community, accounting for around 13% of Israel’s 10 million residents, traditionally avoids military service, dedicating their lives to studying the Jewish holy book, the Torah.

They argue that joining secular society threatens their religious identity and communal continuity.

Currently, Haredi men at the enlistment age of 18 can defer service annually for religious studies until they reach the age of 26, at which point they are exempt.

Opposition leaders say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties a law exempting Haredim from service to secure their continued support for his coalition.

The draft orders come as Israel continues a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack in October last year by the Palestinian group Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 43,300 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 102,260 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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