Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has moved forward with a controversial bill that aims to conscript ultra-Orthodox religious students into the military. The move has sparked heated debates and confrontations in the parliament, with families of some of the Gaza hostages demanding more action from the government to secure their loved ones’ release.
Coming just a day after centrist former general Benny Gantz quit the government over disagreements on the Gaza war’s strategic aims, the vote and confrontations underscore the volatile mix of forces buffeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is increasingly reliant on his allies from the hard right as former generals покинули government.
The conscription bill, which must still pass further readings and committee hearings after the late-night vote, would see a phased entry into the military of some ultra-Orthodox Jews. Traditionally, this group has resisted serving in the armed forces. Although originally proposed by Gantz in 2022 under the previous government, he now opposes the measure, claiming it is inadequate for the military’s personnel needs.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the last of a group of former generals left following the departure of Gantz and his ally, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, broke ranks and voted against the bill. Conversely, the religious parties in the coalition, which have strongly opposed a general expansion of conscription, gave their support, intending to introduce changes at the review stage.
While the proposal is for more ultra-Orthodox in the military, their numbers would be restricted, and the bill would allow some alternatives to military service. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of one of the pro-settler parties in the coalition, said in a statement, ‘We have a great opportunity that should not be missed. The ultra-Orthodox public must not be pushed into a corner.’
The issue of lifting some of the restrictions on conscripting ultra-Orthodox men into the military has been a divisive issue for decades in Israel. In a country where broad military service has been viewed as one of the cornerstones of its security, it has stirred resentment among many secular Israelis.
As parliament prepared to vote on the bill, there were angry exchanges at a meeting of the finance committee, where members of some of the hostage families waylaid Smotrich and demanded the government do more to bring the captives home. Inbal Tzach, whose cousin Tal Shoham was among the 253 Israeli and foreign hostages abducted by Hamas gunmen in October, said ministers like Smotrich needed to do everything to get the remaining 120 hostages back.
Smotrich, who has ruled out any deal with Hamas and opposed proposals for a ceasefire deal, dismissed the families’ campaign as cynical. ‘I will not endanger the State of Israel and its people,’ he said. ‘I will not stop the war just before the destruction of Hamas, because this is an existential danger to Israel.’
