Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a political threat due to a disagreement among members of his coalition about whether ultra-Orthodox Jews should retain their exemption from military service. The coalition is divided on whether young ultra-Orthodox men should be allowed to study at religious seminaries instead of serving in the military. If the exemption is abolished, the ultra-Orthodox lawmakers may walk out, and if it stands, the secular members may withdraw. The collapse of the coalition could lead to new elections, and polling suggests that Netanyahu would not win [0039b704].
The ultra-Orthodox have been exempt from military service since the founding of Israel, but resentment and anger over these privileges have grown. The ongoing debate over the ultra-Orthodox draft bill adds to the existing tensions surrounding military service in Israel. A new Israeli government led by centrists may be more open to allowing the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank to play a bigger role in Gaza, potentially creating a more conducive environment for Israel to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia [0039b704].
The issue of conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews has been a contentious one in Israeli politics. The exemption has been a longstanding tradition since the founding of Israel, but there has been growing resentment and anger over the privileges granted to the ultra-Orthodox community. The coalition government is divided on whether to maintain the exemption or require ultra-Orthodox men to serve in the military. If the exemption is abolished, it could lead to the collapse of the coalition and new elections. Polling suggests that Netanyahu would not win in such a scenario [0039b704].
In a similar vein, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has proposed reinstating mandatory national service, which has been suspended since 1963. The government argues that it is not conscription, but critics argue that if it is mandatory and enforced by law, it constitutes conscription. The proposal has sparked a debate about the effectiveness of conscription in addressing staffing issues in the UK's Armed Forces. A survey shows that more than a third of under-40s in the UK would refuse conscription in the event of a world war. Some argue that instead of conscription, the UK government should consider promoting the creation of volunteer forces, similar to Germany's voluntary military service program. They believe that a professional and volunteer-driven military force is more effective and aligned with modern democratic values than a conscripted army [026fc820].