Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said yesterday that he aims to gradually increase the number of ultra-orthodox youth drafted into the military until it hits 50 per cent of the annual eligible Haredi draft cohort in 2032.
For the past six months, Israeli coalition leaders have held intensive talks aimed at drafting a new conscription law that would force ultra-orthodox Jews who were legally exempt from compulsory army service, to enlist.
Yesterday Katz presented what he described as “principles to achieve the goal of significantly increasing the number of yeshiva students serving in the military, while regulating the status of those engaged in full-time Torah study.”
He vowed penalties on Haredim organisations who evade conscription, including cancelling government subsidies for preschool and freezing funds for ultra-orthodox schools that do not comply.
He explained that service in civilian institutions will not be considered conscription for the security services.
Katz indicated that 4,800 Haredim will be drafted into the army in the first year, and 5,700 in the second year, adding that as of the third year, there will be no target for recruitment, but rather the number of recruits will gradually increase until the final target is reached after seven years, in 2032.
However, the Haaretz newspaper quoted a source in the United Torah Judaism faction as saying that the faction will strongly reject the recruitment of 50 per cent of Haredim at the age of 18, as well as opposing the imposition of criminal penalties on Torah students.
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