Israeli Defense Minister Approves Recruitment of Religious Extremists Starting in August

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant on Tuesday gave the military the green light to recruit ultra-Orthodox Jews starting in August, a decision likely to further strain relations within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.

The Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement that Galant held a discussion on Tuesday morning about security arrangements for recruiting Haredi individuals into the army, noting that "Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Amir Baram" and other officials participated in the discussions.

According to the statement, at the end of the discussion, the minister approved the army's recommendation to call up Haredi individuals for service starting in August. It did not mention the number of ultra-Orthodox individuals who would be called up for service.

But the private Hebrew newspaper, The Jerusalem Post, quoted the army as saying that it could integrate “about 3,000 Haredim into its ranks immediately, in addition to the 1,800 already recruited,” adding that the number mentioned is among the approximately 10,000-12,000 Haredi students currently in school.

The Haredim make up about 13% of Israel's population of about 9.7 million people, and they usually do not serve in the army, claiming to devote their lives to studying the Torah. The law requires every Israeli man and woman over the age of 18 to serve in the military.

The exemption for religious hardliners from conscription has sparked protests in recent months by Israelis angry that the threat of fighting in Gaza is not evenly distributed. Hardliners have responded with protests, road closures and banners reading "Death before conscription."

On June 25, the Israeli Supreme Court decided to oblige the Haredim to enlist in the army, and to prevent financial aid from religious institutions whose students do not comply with military service.

But their failure to report for military service, coinciding with the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, and the heavy losses of the Israeli occupation army in that war, has increased the intensity of the controversy, as secular parties are calling on the religious to participate in “bearing the burdens of the war.”