The unanimous ruling by Israel’s Supreme Court mandates that the military commence drafting ultra-Orthodox men for military service, potentially destabilizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

The Supreme Court of Israel has reached a unanimous decision that the military is required to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service. This ruling, announced on Tuesday, marks a significant milestone and may potentially result in the dissolution of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition. It comes amidst ongoing conflict in Gaza as Israel continues to engage in warfare.

The landmark decision effectively terminates a long-standing system that provided extensive exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox men while upholding compulsory enlistment for the secular Jewish majority in the nation. This arrangement, criticized as discriminatory, has caused significant division within Israel’s Jewish population regarding the responsibility of defending the country. The court invalidated a statute that enshrined exemptions in 2017, despite numerous extensions granted by the courts and government.