Israel Moves Ahead with Plan to Draft Ultra-Orthodox

According to a plan passed by the committee tasked with drafting it, 70 percent of ultra-Orthodox 18 year olds will be drafted starting in three years, up from the current 30 percent. Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party campaigned heavily on this issue called the decision “historic”. The bill must still pass Israel’s cabinet and parliament. Ultra-Orthodox rabbis have said they will not agree to have their students serve in the army. According to the plan, all ultra-Orthodox 17 year olds will be legally required to report to the draft board, and the army will choose who it wants to conscript. Most controversial in the bill is that those who do not report or refuse to serve could be jailed.