An expanded nine-justice panel of the High Court of Justice convened on Tuesday 14 Elul 5773 to hear the petition from the Hiddush organization, the Movement for Quality Government and others.

The petition requested that the court order Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon to immediately induct some 600 chareidim into the IDF. Ya’alon recently announced that as the Knesset legislates a new chareidi draft law he is postponing the draft of chareidim scheduled for induction in the August 2013 draft. Ya’alon explained that the military requires additional time to prepare for the induction of so many chareidim, deciding to push off the draft to the end of the Gregorian calendar year.

The state also explained that delaying the induction of these young men for four months would not result in serious damage if at all.

The petitioners explained that with the disqualification of the Tal Law by the court, there is no legal framework permitting the chareidim to avoid military service.

The court called on the sides to compromise, to permit delaying their induction until the new law passes in Knesset. On the other hand, the period of time from their original induction date until their actual induction into the IDF will not be reduced from their service time as should be the case under the current law.

The Movement for Quality Government did not appreciate the court’s compromise since it feels the state is discriminating against non-chareidim by permitting the latter to delay service until the new law is set into place.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)