Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleWelcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Political correspondent Sam Sokol and legal reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.
With hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men expected to rally at the entrance to Jerusalem Thursday afternoon, a protest originally scheduled to coincide with the presentation of a revised Haredi conscription regulation bill, Sokol discusses the significance of all the ultra-Orthodox sects and factions acting in rare unity to protest the idea of being drafted into the army.
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The event follows Wednesday’s Supreme Court criticism of the government for its failure to take effective enforcement measures against Haredi draft evaders, says Sharon.
Sharon discusses the timing of the legal and political processes relating to Haredi conscription, and draws attention to the number of Supreme Court justices from the Religious Zionist world — a community with a significant rate of combat service, which may be reflected in the court’s orders to the government.
Sokol also talks about the political significance of completely ousting Likud MK Yuli Edelstein from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, of which he was chairman until recently, and replacing him with controversial lawmaker Tally Gotliv.
And Sharon weighs in on the meaning of Wednesday’s announcement of a criminal investigation into the leaking of surveillance video from the Sde Teiman detention facility that purported to show soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee last year, which some right-wing government ministers see as a vindication of the accused soldiers.
Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Roadblocks and school closures: What to expect during Thursday’s Haredi anti-draft rally
High Court prods government for ‘stronger enforcement’ against Haredi draft evaders
Likud boots Edelstein from defense panel for ‘violations of faction discipline’
Likud firebrand Tally Gotliv to replace Edelstein on key Knesset defense committee
Criminal probe launched into leak of detainee abuse video; IDF’s top lawyer goes on leave
Coalition hails probe of leaked video apparently showing abuse of Gazan prisoner
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