Group demands authorities begin drafting ultra-Orthodox as ordered by High Court
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel demands in a letter to the defense minister, the IDF chief of staff, and the attorney general that they immediately begin issuing conscription orders to ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students following last week’s High Court ruling that the state is obligated to being drafting such men.
“You have the urgent obligation to begin equitable conscription in accordance with the Law for Security Service, specifically for 63,000 haredi yeshiva students for whom recruitment procedures have not yet been taken, or whose service was [previously] postponed,” the Movement for Quality Government writes in its letter.
“Already a week has passed since the day of the ruling and conscription orders have yet to be sent to all 63,000 yeshiva students who are obligated to enlist in accordance with the law and the [court’s] ruling,” the letter said, noting that it appears that “not a single recruitment order was sent.”
Immediately following the High Court ruling, the Attorney General’s Office issued a letter to the IDF and the Defense Ministry instructing them that they were obligated to “act immediately to carry out the ruling to draft yeshiva students who are obligated to perform military service,” and stipulating that at least 4,800 ultra-Orthodox men must be drafted in the 2024 enlistment year.
The Defense Ministry has refused to comment as to what steps it has taken since last Tuesday’s ruling to comply with that order.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that the IDF needs 10,000 new soldiers in light of losses sustained during the current war.
“We are in the midst of a war and the IDF needs all the manpower it can get,” says Movement for Quality Government chairman Eliad Shraga.
“Failure to draft the ultra-Orthodox at this stage is not just a violation of the High Court’s ruling but also a severe blow to state security and the principle of equality. We are demanding immediate and determined action to draft all yeshiva students who are obligated to perform military service without further delay.”