Israeli military to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military announced Tuesday it will begin sending draft notices to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men on Sunday. That follows a landmark Supreme Court order for young religious men to begin enlisting for military services. Under long-standing political arrangements, ultra-Orthodox men had been exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men. The system created widespread resentment among the general public in Israel, especially after more than nine months of war against Hamas militants in Gaza. The court ruled that the system of exemptions was discriminatory. Tuesday's announcement could rattle Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties that opposed any changes to the system. It also could lead to unrest. Past attempts to enlist ultra-Orthodox men have triggered mass protests in ultra-Orthodox communities. On Monday, a vehicle carrying two military officers was attacked and blocked in an ultra-Orthodox city. The army statement said it would begin sending "initial summons orders" to ultra-Orthodox men as part of its program "to promote the integration of members of the ultra-Orthodox community into its ranks." The summons is the beginning of a months-long recruitment process. The army did not say when it expects ultra-Orthodox men to begin serving or how many men it hopes to recruit.