Israeli minister resigns over government’s failure to exempt Haredi Jews from military service

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf resigned on Thursday over the government’s failure to pass a law exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said.

The resignation comes as ultra-Orthodox communities continue to protest against military service following a June 25, 2024, Supreme Court ruling obliging them to enlist and prohibiting financial support for religious institutions whose students refuse to serve.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredi, account for about 13% of Israel’s 10 million citizens.

They oppose military service on religious grounds, arguing that studying the Torah is their primary duty and that integration into secular society threatens their religious identity and community cohesion.