Israel passes laws to exempt of ultra-Orthodox men from military service

Key Points:

• Israel’s parliament passed laws halting the military enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men and enshrining Jewish religious studies as a foundational state value, aiming to secure ultra-Orthodox political support ahead of fall elections.
• The legislation freezes arrests of draft evaders from the ultra-Orthodox community, formalizing their longstanding exemption from compulsory military service, which less than 10% of eligible ultra-Orthodox men currently fulfill.
• The laws face criticism from military leadership, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who called the bills inconsistent with military needs and opposed mass exemptions amid ongoing security challenges.
• The legislation challenges previous Supreme Court rulings that deemed exemptions illegal, potentially providing a legal basis to counter the court's decisions by emphasizing Torah study’s state significance.
• Opposition leaders condemn the laws as disrespectful to Israeli soldiers, while ultra-Orthodox lawmakers hail the legislation as historic and central to preserving Jewish values.