The Israeli army plans to issue military service call-ups again to men from the ultra-Orthodox community this Sunday. Several Israeli publications reported today that around 7,000 members of the highly religious community will receive call-ups, DPA reported.
The former Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant, approved the sending of the call letters before his dismissal, reported in "Times of Israel".
The military said they intend to send the notifications as planned. Israel Katz, the new defense minister, has not canceled the measure.
According to media reports, around 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men have already received conscription notices this summer. However, it is said that only a small number of them subsequently reported to the conscription centers.
For decades, Israel's ultra-Orthodox community has been exempt from compulsory military service. However, the exemption expired a few months ago. The Israeli government has failed to pass a law to make service for ultra-Orthodox men, also called haredi, more permanent. Ultimately, in the summer, the Supreme Court issued a decision according to which members of the highly religious community can no longer be exempted from conscription, DPA notes.
Ultra-religious parties in the ruling coalition were angered by the decision. Many ultra-Orthodox men see military service as a threat to their pious way of life, in part because men and women serve together.
On the other hand, many secular people in Israel think it is unfair that ultra-Orthodox Jews should not have to do military service and be exempted from dangerous combat missions.
Amid the wars against the Palestinian, the Palestinian armed group "Hamas" in the Gaza Strip and the pro-Iranian Shiite movement "Hezbollah" in Lebanon, the Israeli military warns of a shortage of combat-ready soldiers, DPA notes.