Israel MPs in bid to exempt ultra-Orthodox from conscription

AI Summary

Israeli lawmakers have voted to advance legislation exempting most ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military conscription, despite widespread protests and opposition. This move challenges a recent Supreme Court ruling mandating such conscription.

Israeli lawmakers voted on Wednesday to advance a bill that would allow most ultra-Orthodox Jewish men to avoid military conscription, despite fierce opposition protests. Ultra-orthodox men have largely been exempted from service throughout Israel's modern history, but the Supreme Court has repeatedly challenged that status in recent years culminating in a 2024 ruling that the government must conscript them.