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| Ultra-Orthodox Jew walks by Israeli soldiers |
A judge has issued arrests warrants for hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews who refused to enlist in the army, according to press reports in Israel.
Hundreds of arrest warrants were issued in recent days for hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jewish teens after they failed to appear at military recruiting centers when called up for service.
The military said in a statement that it doubts that police will take action to arrest those teens.
Some sources said that police will start making massive arrests immediately after the Passover holiday.
Following the orders of their rabbis, many teens said that they prefer jail rather than serve in the army. Many seem to believe that their rabbis will be jailed along with them and they will continue study with their rabbis in prison.
Last year, the Israeli supreme court ruled that a blanket exemption of military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews is unconstitutional.
After the supreme court decision ultra-Orthodox Jewish rabbis threatened to start a civil war.