Tel Aviv [Israel], August 18 (HBTV): An Israeli parliamentary committee has narrowly approved the extension of emergency powers allowing the military to summon up to 430,000 reservists, as the war in Gaza continues and political tensions rise over draft exemptions for Orthodox Jewish men.
The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee voted 8-7 in favour of the measure on Monday, after a previous attempt failed last week. The new order, which replaces one that expired in May, will remain in effect until September 4. Although the authorisation covers hundreds of thousands of reservists, far fewer are expected to be mobilised.
The debate over Haredi draft exemptions dominated the session. Opposition lawmakers accused the government of overburdening reservists while continuing to shield ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from conscription.“The worst government in the country’s history is once again issuing draft orders to the same people who have already served 400 and 500 days of reserve duty, while at the same time continuing to sponsor Haredi draft evasion,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid posted on X.Avigdor Liberman, leader of Yisrael Beytenu, echoed the criticism, saying the coalition was “betraying soldiers time and again just to maintain its alliance with the ultra-Orthodox dealmakers in the Knesset.”
The dispute has become a key fault line within the coalition. Senior Likud MK Yuli Edelstein was removed as committee chair in July after refusing to advance a bill enshrining the exemption into law. On Monday, his place was taken by Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv, who voted with the government. Haredi parties, which quit the coalition after the exemption bill stalled, did not participate in the vote.
Government officials argue the powers are critical for operational flexibility as the military escalates its campaign in Gaza, with expanded operations planned around Gaza City. Tens of thousands of reservists are expected to be called up in the coming weeks, adding pressure on families and the economy.
Reservists have been repeatedly mobilised since Hamas’s October 7 assault, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 252 hostages taken into Gaza. Emergency powers granting the military broad call-up authority have been re-issued every few months. The previous order, approved in May, allowed up to 450,000 reservists but expired at the end of that month.
The controversy is also shaped by a 2024 High Court ruling that struck down blanket Haredi exemptions as illegal. Since Israel’s founding, Orthodox men studying full-time in religious seminaries (yeshivot) have been exempt from service, a status quo originally meant for a few hundred students but now covering over 138,000. The fast-growing Haredi community is projected to make up 16% of Israel’s population by the end of the decade, fuelling public opposition to continued exemptions.
Of the 50 hostages still in Gaza, Israeli authorities believe around 30 are no longer alive.
(ANI/TPS)