Top Israel Court Orders Government to Conscript Religious Men.

Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that the government must conscript Ultra-Orthodox men into military service and cease funding seminaries whose students avoid the draft. This decision has the potential to create a political crisis, as two religious parties had formed a government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the understanding that their exemption from military service would be protected by law. The court's focus on equality has been a point of contention, leading the government to attempt to limit the power of the judiciary. The issue of exemption from military service for religious Jews has become more contentious in light of the recent war with Hamas, with many Israelis arguing that it is unacceptable for religious Jews to be exempt while the country faces ongoing security threats. The court has already issued an interim order to stop funding seminaries whose students avoid service. The exemption for Ultra-Orthodox men dates back to the early days of the state, when Prime Minister David Ben Gurion allowed a small number of Haredi students to study in seminaries instead of being drafted. [Extracted from the article]