Will ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis serve in the military?
The government is under growing pressure to end a decades-long exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews.
For generations, ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israelis have been exempt from military service. But a court order could soon change that.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has filed a last-minute application to the Supreme Court for a ruling to be deferred for 30 days. And the controversy isn’t going anywhere.
Israel’s war on Gaza is fuelling a sense of urgency and anger among Israelis required to sign up.
So how much of a threat does this pose to Netanyahu’s coalition?
And would his government survive the fallout from such a change of policy?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Efraim Inbar – President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security
Yossi Mekelberg – Associate fellow at Chatham House specialising in Israeli and Middle East politics
Meron Rapoport – Editor of Hebrew-language news site Local Call