Conscription Countdown: Israeli Government Scrambles for Ultra-Orthodox Solution

The Israeli government on Wednesday sought a half-day reprieve to the High Court’s ultimatum for presenting a stance on immediate conscription of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) yeshiva students.

“Taking into account the sensitivity of the matters and the need for many officials [to have input in] the draft, including the most senior officials, a short extension of one day is required to submit the response,” the state told the court late Wednesday night. The plea for extension, lodged merely moments before the midnight deadline, followed a pivotal draft submission from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s Office stating that by the dawn of April 1, Israel would be compelled to initiate conscription for Haredi yeshiva students, absent a legal basis to defer.

This move was necessitated by the impending expiration of a government resolution that facilitated the deferment of military service for these students, thereby preserving their religious studies. Israel’s longstanding policy has enabled these students to dedicate their lives to religious study, making them some of the only Israeli citizens who are exempt from the secular duties of military service. However, the potential for change stirred significant unrest within the coalition government, particularly among Haredi parties resistant to altering the status quo through conscription quotas.

Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon criticized the government’s proposals as superficial, adding,  “no legal opinion or documentation that could demonstrate how the government intends to formulate an arrangement that will lead to an increase in equal sharing of the military service burden. This is particularly significant when the government is acting to increase the burden on the serving public—both conscripts and reservists—and at the same time seeks to further delay the enlistment of yeshiva students.”