Israel's cabinet approved a draft law yesterday to abolish wholesale exemptions from military duty granted to Jewish seminary students, stoking ultra-Orthodox anger over the break with tradition.
Many Israelis have long bridled over state privileges handed to the conservative believers or "Haredim" - a Hebrew term meaning "those who tremble before God".
The debate heated up when elections in January saw strong performances for two parties that campaigned against the exemptions and created the first cabinet in a decade without ultra-Orthodox members.
Most Israelis are called up for military service when they turn 18, and often see active service in the occupied West Bank and other flashpoints. But ultra-Orthodox men studying in seminaries, religious women and Arab citizens of Israel have been exempted. Under the new law, only 1800 designated "outstanding biblical scholars", would get an exemption, out of the estimated 8000 eligible yearly.
"The government's abuse of the Haredi minority verges on persecution and cruelty," said Meir Porush, an ultra-Orthodox legislator from the United Torah Judaism party.
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