An impending crisis over conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israeli army is threatening to undermine Israel's government and split the country.
Public opinion on the issue has shifted dramatically in Israel after two years of war, and this is now perhaps the most explosive political risk facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lawmakers are currently considering a draft bill to end the exemption granted to ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in full-time religious study, established when the State of Israel was declared in 1948. That exemption was ruled illegal by Israel's High Court of Justice almost 20 years ago. Temporary arrangements to continue it were formally ended by the court last year, forcing the government to begin drafting the community.
Some 24,000 draft notices were issued last year, but only around 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.
Tensions are erupting onto the streets, with lawmakers now debating a new draft bill to force ultra-Orthodox men into military service alongside other Israeli Jews. Two Haredi politicians were targeted this month by extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.
The push to conscript more ultra-Orthodox also triggered a vast protest by tens of thousands of Haredi men in Jerusalem last month - seen by many as part of a wider conflict around the identity of the Jewish state, and the place of religion within it.
The ultra-Orthodox population has more than doubled its share of Israel's population over the past seven decades, now accounting for 14%. Opinion polls suggest support for ultra-Orthodox conscription is rising, revealing an increasing desire for equality and contribution from all sectors of society.
As debates continue, some lawmakers dismissed the current draft of the bill as too lenient, and tensions rise amidst a changing political landscape, the future remains uncertain for both the ultra-Orthodox community and Israel at large.
