Israel issues 7,000 new draft orders for ultra-Orthodox members
JERUSALEM
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued 7,000 additional army draft orders for individuals from the country's ultra-Orthodox community, historically exempted from mandatory service until a June Supreme Court decision, signaling further expansion of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Gallant approved the Israeli army's "recommendation to issue an additional 7,000 orders for screening and evaluation processes for ultra-Orthodox draft-eligible individuals in the upcoming phase, which is expected to begin in the coming days," the defense ministry said in a statement.
The order comes after a first round of 3,000 draft orders were sent out in July, sparking protests from the ultra-Orthodox community.
The orders come at a time when Israel is struggling to bolster troop numbers as it fights a multi-front war, with ground forces deployed to fight Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"The defense minister concluded that the war and the challenges we face underscore the [Israeli army's] need for additional soldiers. This is a tangible operational need that requires broad national mobilization from all parts of society," the ministry said.
In Israel, military service is mandatory for Jewish men for 32 months and for 24 months for Jewish women.
The ultra-Orthodox account for 14 percent of Israel's Jewish population, according to the Israel Democracy Institute, representing about 1.3 million people.
In June, Israel's Supreme Court ordered the draft of yeshiva (seminary) students after deciding the government could not keep up the exemption "without an adequate legal framework.”
Israeli MPs approve law to fire teachers over terror ties
The Knesset has approved a law enabling the Education Ministry to dismiss teachers who publicly endorse or align with acts of terrorism.
The legislation, which passed with a vote of 55-45, grants the ministry authority to terminate educators and withdraw funding from schools found supporting terrorist acts or organizations.
According to its explanatory notes, the bill is primarily aimed at Arab schools in East Jerusalem where there is “incitement of minors against the State of Israel alongside the glorification of terrorists” whose “destructive and long-term effect, among other things, may be expressed in the large number of minors living in East Jerusalem who carry out or attempt to carry out terrorist attacks.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right leader, stated, “Education plays a crucial role in fueling numerous terrorist attacks against Israel.”
He asserted that the legislation is intended to prevent teachers from using their influence to steer students toward terrorism and to ensure that schools don’t facilitate such behaviors.