Shas leader says treasury blocking ultra-Orthodox from IDF

The Finance Ministry is preventing the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox youth into the IDF due to budgetary considerations, according to Shas party chairman Eli Yishai.

Yishai told the Shas daily journal Yom Leyom that ultra-Orthodox youth wanted to serve in the army or volunteer for national service, but were being blocked, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

“There are two battalions that are waiting to be recruited, and hundreds more ultra-Orthodox who are interested in national service,” but they are not being inducted due to lack of open positions, he told the paper.

Yishai also expressed the belief that the government would have to extend the term of the Tal Law, which was ruled unconstitutional in its current form by the High Court of Justice on Tuesday.

The Tal Law allows full-time yeshiva students to defer army service.