Hundreds of thousands of “ultra-Orthodox” men protested this week in the Israel city of Jerusalem in opposition to the Israel government enforcing a military draft of members of their communities. You may not hear much about the protest from American media, but a Thursday Times of Israel report provides a rundown of some of the protest activities in Jerusalem. The report also includes video and photographs of the protest.
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Major Draft Resistance in Israel
Facing mounting deaths, injuries, and exhaustion among its troops in its ongoing war in Gaza, while desiring to escalate the war in Lebanon and beyond, the Israel government began in July to expand conscription to include “ultra-orthodox” men who were previously exempt. That plan, in its first month of implementation, seems not to be going well for the government.
In July, I wrote an article the title of which asked this question: “Expanding Conscription to Women to Become Law this Year?” In the article, I wrote that there were indications that the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to be voted on this year could include a requirement that women register with Selective Service as men are required to register — a requirement supported by many Congress members and President Joe Biden. Requiring women to register with Selective Service would put women along with men as potential conscripts should the United States government reinstate a military draft.
As I wrote in July, there has been over the last few years substantial movement toward making women subjectable to a future draft. Fortunately, it appears that the legislative action toward this goal will not reach fruition this year, though there is no sign that the effort to lay the foundation for drafting women is being abandoned.
There has been much movement in the United States government over the last few years toward women being required, like men, to register with Selective Service and thus join the pool of individuals who could be drafted into the military. Will this be the year that women will start having the threat of being conscripted hang over their heads?
A soon-to-be-released 255-page report from a congressionally mandated commission recommends that women, in addition to men, be subject to a United States military draft, should one be imposed. So reported Lara Seligman at Politico on Tuesday based on a review of the report that Politico obtained early. Seligman further relates that the “11-member commission’s final report, which was required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, was briefed to the Pentagon on Monday and will be presented to the White House and congressional staffers Tuesday.”
This report will likely add substantially to the already strong momentum in Congress behind requiring women to register with Selective Service and be subject to any future draft — the same requirements long imposed on American men.