Amid a shortage of troops, thousands of soldiers who were set to be released from their mandatory service have received orders that they will serve for a further four months, Channel 12 news reports.
The military is suffering manpower shortages caused by the war against Hamas in Gaza and hostilities on the northern border.
The army called up some 287,000 reservists in the immediate wake of the October 7 onslaught, marking the largest-ever mobilization in Israel’s history.
The issue of conscription is a hot-button topic, as the ultra-Orthodox have long enjoyed exemptions from military service, protesting or refusing draft orders and seeking to enshrine the exemption in law. Many in the Haredi world view army service and wider integration with the secular world to be a threat to their religious identity and the continuity of insular community traditions.
Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers have long pushed for legislation formally codifying their constituents’ exemption from military service, which has been among the most contentious issues in society over the last two decades.
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From the Liveblog of
Friday, March 22, 2024
