The Israeli military will next week begin the process of drafting candidates from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, the military said on Tuesday.

Israelis are bound by law to serve in the military from the age of 18 for 24-32 months. Members of Israel’s 21% Arab minority and ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students have largely been exempt for decades.

Netanyahu’s coalition includes two ultra-Orthodox parties that regard the exemptions as key to keep their constituents in religious seminaries and away from a melting-pot military that might test their conservative values.

…ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up 13% of Israel’s 10 million population…

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    •  solo   ( @solo@slrpnk.net ) OP
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      2 months ago

      Personally, I wouldn’t take the path of arguing “for” or “against” this draft (even tho I’m against it, as well as to this so-called war). I see this move as one more proof that Netanyahu and Zionists in general, have no intention to consider anything else than continuing this Genocide and as well as the Occupation of Palestine. Unless the US and the international community forces them in some ways to stop, and there are many ways to do that.

      Let’s also keep in mind that anti-Zionism is quite prevalent among ultra-Orthodox Jews. Neturei Karta for instance have been anti-Zionists since the 1930’s.

      Neturei Karta International (NKI) is a group of activists representing many who stand up for true Judaism and promote traditional Judaism in opposition to the philosophy of Zionism. They oppose the existence of the State of Israel and condemn the Zionist occupation of Palestine, along with condemning the ongoing atrocities committed against its people.

      For thousands of years, the Jewish people was defined by its religion, Judaism, which taught them to serve G-d with dedication, to believe in the principles of Jewish faith, belief in the Almighty and to keep the commandments of the Torah.

      Then a movement of Zionism was formed by non-practicing Jews with a goal to transform Judaism from a religion into nationalism, and to replace fulfillment of the Torah with allegiance to a political movement as the defining quality of a Jew. This is a general uprooting of Judaism.