Workers' Radiation Safety Proposal Requested from Commission for Regulatory Standards
In the hotbed of Israel's politics, the parliament has bucked the opposition's attempt to instigate fresh elections, granting the ruling coalition a reprieve to tackle the ongoing crisis. A skirmish over the conscription law has been settled, potentially reigniting some semblance of order in the deadlocked political situation.
However, polls hint at a looming defeat for Netanyahu's coalition in forthcoming elections, plagued by security debacles and the captivity of Hamas hostages. But for now, the opposition's push for snap elections has been thwarted.
Ultra-religious parties within Netanyahu's government reportedly supported the opposition's bid to dissolve parliament, due to a dispute over a bill aiming to augment the number of ultra-religious males engaging in military service. Yet, a majority of 61 out of 120 MPs shot down the opposition's bill in a preliminary reading. Progress has been made in mediation dialogues between the ultra-orthodox parties and Juli Edelstein, the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as per the news portal "ynet."
Split in the Coalition
Edelstein is working on a bill that extends compulsory service to ultra-Orthodox men and sanctions those who defy the call. The ultra-religious coalition partners have vowed to retreat from the government should the bill come to pass.
Exemption expired last year
For decades, ultra-religious men in Israel have been spared military service; however, the exemption lapsed last year. The Israeli government had failed to legislate a permanent law to secure the unique status of the ultra-Orthodox. Ultimately, the Supreme Court decreed in the summer of 2024 that ultra-religious men must partake in compulsory military service.
Many ultra-Orthodox Jews view military service as a menace to their religious lifestyle, given that women and men serve together in the army. Yet, the military had warned of a dire shortage of infantry soldiers owing to the prolonged war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
As the ultra-Orthodox communities brace for a conscription drive, Israel teeters on the brink of an identity crisis. This division mirrors the ongoing struggle between the Jewish rabbinical sphere and a more secular, liberal identity. Netanyahu and his team have been racing against time to forge a resolution to this crisis, navigating the delicate balance between the demands of the High Court, the needs of a divided society, and the preservation of coalition stability.
What is the stance of the ultra-religious coalition partners regarding the bill that extends compulsory service to ultra-Orthodox men in Israel's parliament? They have vowed to withdraw from the government should the bill come to pass.
Amidst the conversation surrounding the conscription law in Israel's parliament, the expiry of the exemption for ultra-religious men from military service last year is a significant factor, setting the stage for a potential health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise dilemma for the ultra-Orthodox communities, as well as a science-based military necessity due to the continuing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
