'A moral duty': Israeli lawmakers hail ruling to draft haredim into IDF

The High Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday morning that there will be no exemption from drafting into the IDF for ultra-Orthodox students, resulting in split reactions from Israel's political figures.

The chairman of the Yisrael Beytenu party, MK Avigdor Liberman, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "After years of smearing and attempts to reach compromises and understandings, the High Court made a decision that does justice to the public."

"In a year in which we lost an entire cohort of soldiers who fell in battle or were seriously injured, in a year in which reservists served over 200 days, there is no more justified proof that the IDF needs more personnel."

"I congratulate the High Court on this decision; it constitutes a significant step in the way to historical change."

״יש שופטים בירושלים״לאחר שנים של מריחות ושל ניסיונות להגיע לפשרות ולהבנות, בית המשפט העליון קיבל החלטה שעושה צדק עם הציבור שנושא בנטל. בשנה בה איבדנו חטיבה שלמה של חיילים שנפלו במערכה או נפצעו קשה, בשנה בה מילואימניקים שירתו מעל 200 יום, אין הוכחה מוצדקת יותר לכך שצה״ל צריך…

— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) June 25, 2024

Attorney Eliad Shraga, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, the main petitioner for equal recruitment, called on the government and the defense minister to uphold the High Court ruling and act immediately to recruit yeshiva students."

"We welcome the decision of the High Court, which is a historic victory for the rule of law and the principle of equal recruitment," Shraga added. "The ruling of the High Court strengthens our position that the existing situation of discrimination in recruiting for the IDF cannot continue and that the time has come for equal recruitment.

"The court's decision requires the government and the minister of defense to act immediately to recruit yeshiva students in accordance with the law, maintaining the principle of equality," Shraga continued. "We call on the government and the minister of defense to implement the decision without delay, to uphold the ruling of the High Court and to act immediately to recruit yeshiva students."

"The High Court ruling puts an end to 76 years of unlawful inequality and discrimination... This is an important step on the way to a more just and equal society in Israel," Shraga added.

Chairman of the Labor Party Major General (res.) Yair Golan said "The decision that was understood by every serving citizen in the State of Israel was also unanimously understood by every panel of judges in the High Court. I commend the just decision of the High Court. Where there is no government, there is justice.

The duty of military and civil service should apply to every Israeli young man and woman, without distinction of religion, race, or gender. We will continue to fight for the democratic and egalitarian character of Israel."

Split camps

Chairman of the National Unity Party Benny Gantz spoke to the students directly: "My Haredi brothers, This is not the High Court, and it's not you. It is the prime minister and the ministers in his government who have not sought solutions for recruitment and national service but solutions to maintain the coalition."

"It is not too late to reach agreements that will serve the country and lead to Israeli service. Service is a security need and also a moral duty, not instead of the world of Torah, but so we can continue to exist in our country – all of us – Haredim, Arabs, seculars, and all parts of society, together. It is time for a broadly agreed-upon Israeli service outline."

The Chairman of United Torah Judaism and Minister of Construction and Housing, Rabbi Yitzhak Goldknopf, responded to the ruling by saying, "This is a predictable, very sad, and disappointing decision. The State of Israel was established to be a home for the Jewish people, whose Torah is its cornerstone. The Holy Torah will prevail."

החלטה צפויה ומאוד מצערת ומאכזבת. מדינת ישראל קמה על מנת להיות בית לעם היהודי שהתורה היא סלע קיומו. התורה הקדושה תנצח.

— השר יצחק גולדקנופף (@DOVRUTGoldknopf) June 25, 2024

Chairman of Degel HaTorah MK Moshe Gafni also lamented the decision: "There has never been a High Court ruling in favor of yeshiva students and the Haredi public. There is not a single judge there who understands the value of Torah study and their contribution to the Jewish people throughout the generations."

Acting President of the Supreme Court Uzi Vogelman said: "In practice, the meaning of the said government's decision is that the yeshiva student population as a whole will not be recruited into the security service."

MK Na'ama Lazimi commented: "The time has come for a paradigm shift." This is the time of decisions for Israeli society. I welcome the historic ruling of the High Court of Justice, which unanimously and unequivocally states that it is not possible to put up with the ongoing violation of the law by the state that does not recruit ultra-Orthodox, while paying them to continue studying.

"We all understand that after October 7, the security needs of the State of Israel require a complete paradigm shift in deep issues in Israeli society, including the issue of military service, and it is not possible for the burden of service to be placed more and more on the shoulders of the serving and working public," Lazimi concluded.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said, "The games are over. The days are over when people shout, "We will die rather than enlist. [..] If we do not fight together, we will die together."

"The Torah is not an excuse for evasion, and the Gemara is not an excuse for refusal. From today, those who do not enlist will not receive a single penny from the state. There will be no more allowances for the non-mobilizing soldiers, because there is no more exemption."