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A gathering political storm over drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military is posing a risk to Israel's government and fracturing the state.

Public opinion on the question has shifted dramatically in Israel following two years of war, and this is now possibly the most volatile political challenge facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Constitutional Battle

Politicians are currently considering a proposal to end the special status granted to yeshiva scholars enrolled in yeshiva learning, instituted when the modern Israel was established in 1948.

This arrangement was ruled illegal by the nation's top court in the early 2000s. Temporary arrangements to extend it were formally ended by the bench last year, forcing the cabinet to begin drafting the ultra-Orthodox population.

Approximately 24,000 call-up papers were sent out last year, but only around 1,200 Haredi conscripts reported for duty, according to army data presented to lawmakers.

Friction Erupt Into Public View

Friction is spilling onto the streets, with lawmakers now discussing a new legislative proposal to force Haredi males into national service alongside other Israeli Jews.

Two representatives were harassed this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with the legislative debate of the proposed law.

In a recent incident, a special Border Police unit had to rescue army police who were surrounded by a big group of ultra-Orthodox protesters as they attempted to detain a man avoiding service.

These arrests have prompted the establishment of a new alert system dubbed "Emergency Alert" to send out instant alerts through the religious sector and call out activists to prevent arrests from taking place.

"This is a Jewish state," stated Shmuel Orbach. "You can't fight against Judaism in a Jewish state. It is a contradiction."

An Environment Separate

Yet the transformations sweeping across Israel have not yet breached the confines of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva in a Haredi stronghold, an religious community on the fringes of Tel Aviv.

Within the study hall, teenage boys sit in pairs to debate the Torah, their distinctive school notebooks popping against the lines of formal attire and small black kippahs.

"Come at one in the morning, and you will see a significant portion are engaged in learning," the leader of the academy, a senior rabbi, noted. "By studying Torah, we safeguard the soldiers in the field. This is how we contribute."

Ultra-Orthodox believe that unceasing devotion and religious study guard Israel's armed forces, and are as vital to its military success as its advanced weaponry. This conviction was acknowledged by the nation's leaders in the past, he said, but he conceded that Israel was changing.

Increasing Public Pressure

The ultra-Orthodox population has significantly increased its percentage of Israel's population over the last seventy years, and now accounts for 14%. An exemption that started as an deferment for a few hundred religious students became, by the onset of the 2023 war, a group of approximately 60,000 men left out of the national service.

Surveys show support for ultra-Orthodox conscription is increasing. A poll in July found that 85% of secular and traditional Jews - even a large segment in his own coalition allies - backed penalties for those who ignored a enlistment summons, with a firm majority in approving removing privileges, passports, or the electoral participation.

"I feel there are citizens who are part of this country without giving anything back," one serviceman in Tel Aviv said.

"In my view, however religious you are, [it] should be an justification not to go and serve your state," added Gabby. "If you're born here, I find it somewhat unreasonable that you want to avoid service just to engage in religious study all day."

Views from Within Bnei Brak

Support for ending the exemption is also found among observant Jews not part of the Haredi community, like Dorit Barak, who is a neighbor of the academy and points to observant but non-Haredi Jews who do perform national service while also studying Torah.

"I am frustrated that ultra-Orthodox people don't serve in the army," she said. "It is unjust. I also believe in the Jewish law, but there's a teaching in Hebrew - 'Safra and Saifa' – it represents the Torah and the guns together. That's the way forward, until the days of peace."

The resident manages a local tribute in the neighborhood to soldiers from the area, both from all backgrounds, who were fallen in war. Long columns of faces {