On Tuesday, the High Court of Justice accepted the government’s request to delay the deadline of passing a law that would regulate the conscription of Chareidim, until the summer.

The previous law that allowed for exemptions of Chareidi Israelis to avoid participating in the IDF, was overturned by the High Court in 2017. Since then, no government has been able to issue a new law in its place and the issue has been a point of coalition tension ever since. The High Court overturned the on the grounds that the exemption was unconstitutional, due to its unequal treatment of Chareidi and non-Chareidi people. The court demanded that the government either pass new legislation or begin conscripting Chareidi men into the IDF.

Since then, the government – through the defense minister – has requested and received extensions for this deadline on the grounds that it was still working to pass the bill. However, Israel’s current Defense Minister and Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz refused to request the delay.

The government however requested an extension due to the upcoming March election. The High Court accepted the argument, granting an extension on the issue until July 6, 2021.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)