Israel's Supreme Court Rules to Draft Ultra-Orthodox Jews

Israel's Supreme Court unanimously ruled yesterday that ultra-Orthodox Jewish men must be drafted into the military, a decision that threatens to fracture Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, which relies on two ultra-Orthodox parties.

All nine judges concurred that there was no legal foundation for exempting the ultra-Orthodox from military service. This issue, a long-standing source of tension between secular Israelis and the ultra-Orthodox community, has become even more contentious amid the ongoing war in Gaza, with reservists being called up for second and third tours of duty.