Liberman also stated that individuals evading military service should face a number of sanctions, including the possibility of losing their voting rights. He explained that this is necessary for the implementation of a "real draft," as he believes the authorities are ineffectively applying existing regulations.
Recall that earlier the Supreme Court of Israel mandated that religious students must serve in the military, which sparked protests in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). Participants in the demonstrations displayed signs reading "Better prison than army" and demanded that exemptions from the draft be enshrined in law.
Rabbis argue that military service contradicts Jewish traditions, and Orthodox parties threaten to exit the coalition with Netanyahu if their demands are not met.
Orthodox Jews (Haredim) make up over 13% of the total population of Israel and possess significant demographic and political power due to their high birth rates and cohesion. They live in compact communities, adhering to strict Jewish laws, which often leads to conflicts with secular norms. In 1948, David Ben-Gurion reached an agreement with Haredi leaders, who previously did not recognize Zionist movements, to exempt yeshiva students from military service and allow them to live according to religious laws in exchange for their support in the establishment of the State of Israel.
