Israel’s ultra-Orthodox still won’t fight, invoking scripture
An age-old argument is making Binyamin Netanhayu face an enduring dilemma
The armed forces bent over backwards on August 4th to welcome a new wave of recruits. Induction centres in Jerusalem and Tel Hashomer near Tel Aviv were adapted to soothe the religious sensitivities of prospective draftees. No female soldiers were in sight, so as not to offend the young men who had grown up in an environment strictly segregated by sex.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Exemption by heavenly order”
From the August 17th 2024 edition
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Israel and Hizbullah strike a fragile deal to end their war
Joe Biden’s last roll of the dice on peace in the Middle East
The arrest warrant is a diplomatic disaster for Netanyahu
But may also undermine the International Criminal Court
Israel’s hardliners reckon Gaza’s chaos shows they must control it
Only 11 out of a recent convoy of 109 aid trucks managed to get in
Why GM crops aren’t feeding Africa
Despite decades of research, few countries grow them there
A genocidal militia’s quest for legitimacy
A warring party in Sudan claims it wants to talk peace
Get ready for “Maximum Pressure 2.0” on Iran
The Trump White House may bomb and penalise the regime into a deal