"Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi's Comments Spark Outrage Over Conscription and Emigration Threats"
Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, stated that citizens would leave the country if forced to be drafted, sparking debates over military service exemptions for the Haredim. The Israeli Supreme Court struck down the law granting blanket exemptions for Haredi yeshiva students in 2017, leading to temporary measures to avoid drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. Lawmakers and opposition leaders have criticized Yosef's remarks, with some emphasizing the need for ultra-orthodox youth to enlist for Israel's security, while the Haredim community remains resistant to the draft.