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The Supreme Court passed the decision after years of debate between those who argued that it was unfair and hurt national unity and those opposing scrapping the exemption. Traditionally, the ultra-Orthodox community exempts men from military service to pursue full-time religious studies. This move is interpreted as integrating the ultra-Orthodox population fully into Israeli society and ensuring that the responsibility of the military is shared fairly.
The handover did not go so smoothly. Several ultra-Orthodox areas protested against the proposal; some violent and others pitting demonstrators against police. Many in the Haredi community view military service as a threat to their religious lifestyle and values.
Al Jazeera spoke to Efraim Inbari, the director of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, for an overview of what this tectonic political shift could mean. Inbar said that integrating the ultra-Orthodox into the military is a difficult thing. While this can increase social cohesion and strengthen defence forces, it also presents significant challenges due to cultural and ideological differences, added Inbar
Inbar pointed out, however, that success in this regard is highly predicated on the ability of the military to meet the special needs of the Haredi soldiers via adherence to ultra-strict religious and dietary guidelines. He continued stating that this would include separation into units and special training programs in such a way as to respect their religious practice.
It has tried to sweeten the pill by promising the law will be implemented slowly and sensitively, but opposition is deeply entrenched. “We want to integrate them without undermining the religious commitments of this community,” said Defense Minister Yoav Galant. He said that we are committed to ensuring that the ultra-Orthodox way of life is respected in the integration process while meeting our national defence needs.