--- title: "Israel debates military draft exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews amid protests" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests" category: "Politics" area: "Israel" published: "2026-08-19T19:05:39.822Z" source_reported: "2026-08-19T05:06:12.000Z" updated: "2026-08-19T19:05:39.822Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-19T18:23:07.249Z" --- # Israel debates military draft exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews amid protests *Proposed changes to conscription rules for Haredi men spark demonstrations as their political influence grows* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Only AP's report provides named sources; digests lack corroboration. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. No right-rated outlet provided its own reporting; digests only. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are measured and proportionate across outlets. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in Israel have long been exempt from military service to prioritise full-time Torah study, a policy now under review. - Mass protests have erupted over proposed changes to the exemption, with ultra-Orthodox parties expected to play a key role in upcoming elections. - The ultra-Orthodox population is growing rapidly, projected to reach 25% of Israel’s population by 2050 and 40% of potential draftees. - Some ultra-Orthodox men have volunteered for military service since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, despite doctrinal opposition to conscription. Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, known as Haredim, has been exempt from military conscription for decades. The exemption was originally granted to a few hundred Torah scholars after the state’s founding in 1948, allowing them to rebuild religious institutions lost during the Holocaust. Over time, the policy expanded to include all ultra-Orthodox men engaged in full-time religious study. The Haredim are a visible part of Israeli society, with men typically wearing black suits and hats and women dressing in modest clothing with head coverings. Their population is growing faster than other segments of Israeli society. The Israel Democracy Institute estimates they will make up 25% of the population by 2050 and 40% of those eligible for military service. This demographic shift has intensified debates over their exemption, particularly as Israel faces prolonged conflict on multiple fronts. Proposed changes to the exemption have triggered mass protests. Ultra-Orthodox doctrine holds that studying the Torah is the highest duty, above military service or employment. Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld, who runs two Jerusalem yeshivas, described the Torah as the "crucial mission of life." However, some ultra-Orthodox men have joined the military since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, including three sons of Judith Rosenblum, an ultra-Orthodox mother of eight. Ultra-Orthodox parties are expected to be kingmakers in Israel’s upcoming elections, giving them significant leverage in negotiations over the draft exemption. The debate has exposed tensions between secular and religious Israelis, with some accusing the Haredim of avoiding military service while benefiting from state resources. Others argue that their religious study is a vital contribution to Jewish identity and culture. ## What the coverage left out None of the digests from left-rated, centre-rated or right-rated outlets mentioned the Legal Advisor to the Government’s statement, reported by the unrated outlet Walla, that 80% of military draft evasion in Israel is attributed to the ultra-Orthodox community. The figure was described as evidence of widespread evasion despite increased recruitment from the ultra-Orthodox public. ## Who covered it Shares of the 21 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 48% (10) - Centre: 42% (9) - Right: 10% (2) 1 of 22 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-19T18:23:07.249Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-19T21:15:14.672Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The nine left-rated digests below all led on the mass protests over the proposed changes to the military draft exemption. They included the demographic growth of the ultra-Orthodox population and its projected share of Israel’s population by 2050. The digests also carried the voices of ultra-Orthodox individuals, including Judith Rosenblum and Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld, as reported by the Associated Press. - The Associated Press’s full report, reprinted by left-rated outlets, quoted Rabbi Emanuel Feldman’s statement that the ultra-Orthodox follow civil law only when it does not interfere with religious study. It also detailed the daily routines of yeshiva students, such as Etl Lovy, who described his devotion to Torah study as a way to "get close to God." ### Centre - The ten centre-rated digests below all led on the growing political and cultural influence of the ultra-Orthodox community. They included the demographic projections and the role of ultra-Orthodox parties as potential kingmakers in elections. The digests also mentioned the mass protests over the draft exemption and the doctrinal belief that Torah study takes precedence over military service. - WKMG’s full report, which is centre-rated, reprinted the Associated Press’s account in full. It included the same quotations from Judith Rosenblum and Rabbi Beryl Gershenfeld, as well as descriptions of the daily life of yeshiva students. The report also noted the historical context of the exemption, originally granted to a small number of scholars after the Holocaust. ### Right - The two right-rated digests below led on the growing numbers and political clout of the ultra-Orthodox community. They included the demographic projections and the role of ultra-Orthodox parties in elections. Neither digest mentioned the mass protests over the draft exemption or the voices of ultra-Orthodox individuals quoted in other reports. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 13 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 7 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_2f82fff1-2394-5a89-8c45-705aba1806a1.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [NiagaraFallsReview.ca](https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_2cc1c2dc-a89c-52fc-9de7-a5cf9865c6f8.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/israel-israelis-god-jewish-jerusalem-b3035375.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Associated Press News](https://apnews.com/article/israel-ultraorthodox-haredi-jews-military-draft-elections-570857b82b2d83cf46efcc246faa8ab9) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Cecil Daily](https://cecildaily.com/ap/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_975aafc9-e370-58e6-8e72-a7f70c6bc649.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Beckley Register-Herald](https://register-herald.com/nation_and_world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_b4ad066c-cfd9-5e62-b8c7-e538dfbbd21a.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Ottumwa Courier](https://ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_31a3795f-65d5-5126-a43e-dc4766382885.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Daily Journal](https://djournal.com/news/nation-world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_6fef9872-cc1d-5581-83f5-6abf094cdffa.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Joplin Globe](https://joplinglobe.com/region/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_e4a847ed-ff8f-59cb-8406-00ad7221ff40.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Santa Maria Times](https://santamariatimes.com/ap/international/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_9e339101-d33c-57ed-9632-813c90876077.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [plaindealerin.com](https://plaindealerin.com/news/wire/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_3b307105-418e-5a19-89d9-759f21dcfc2a.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Batesville Daily Guard](https://guardonline.com/news/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_b9013c7c-a83d-5802-91d8-98a441336ecc.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Sun Chronicle](https://thesunchronicle.com/news/nation_world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_e98888f3-02b6-5383-9989-973da49839a2.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [coasttv.com](https://coasttv.com/news/international/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_39b00c00-51b7-57d1-857a-e2d41be751af.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/world/2026/08/19/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/news/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_cd6efc5f-3c0c-594b-88ba-e904df8cb809.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout/article_d94784fd-e595-52ec-8ed8-383a6f973d02.html) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/2026/08/19/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Durango Herald](https://durangoherald.com/articles/associated-press/in-israel-military-service-debate-spotlights-ultra-orthodox-jews-and-their-growing-clout) — In Israel, military service debate spotlights ultra-Orthodox Jews and their growing clout - [Unknown](https://news.walla.co.il/item/3861636) — Ombudsman: The Phenomenon of Ultra-Orthodox Evasion Is Still Widespread ## Questions **Why are ultra-Orthodox Jewish men exempt from military service in Israel?** The exemption was originally granted to a few hundred Torah scholars after Israel’s founding in 1948 to rebuild religious institutions lost during the Holocaust. Over time, it expanded to include all ultra-Orthodox men engaged in full-time religious study, as their doctrine prioritises Torah study over military service. **How large is the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel?** The ultra-Orthodox population is growing rapidly. The Israel Democracy Institute estimates they will make up 25% of Israel’s population by 2050 and 40% of those eligible for military service. Their political influence is also increasing, with ultra-Orthodox parties expected to be kingmakers in upcoming elections. **What are the proposed changes to the draft exemption?** Proposed changes to the exemption have sparked mass protests. While the specifics are unclear, the debate centres on whether ultra-Orthodox men should continue to be exempt from military service, given their growing numbers and the country’s ongoing conflicts. **Have any ultra-Orthodox men joined the military?** Yes, some ultra-Orthodox men have volunteered for military service since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks. Judith Rosenblum, an ultra-Orthodox mother, said three of her sons joined the army after the attacks, despite her preference for them to study the Torah full-time. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Israel debates military draft exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews amid protests", https://mediabias.news/politics/israel-debates-military-draft-exemption-for-ultra-orthodox-jews-amid-protests