War in the Middle East
Report: USA and Israel plan new meeting on offensive
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray during a ceremony in Netanya. Israel’s government is under pressure to end the exemption of the ultra-Orthodox community from military service. photo
© Ariel Schalit/AP/dpa
It is currently unclear whether the meeting planned for the beginning of the week can take place – the reason is an Israeli law that expires on April 1st and has previously exempted ultra-Orthodox people from military service.
Representatives of Israel and the The United States may meet in Washington on Monday for talks on Israel’s planned ground offensive against the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, according to a media report. An Israeli delegation was actually supposed to arrive this week to hear the USA’s concerns and to be shown alternatives.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the trip after the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire without opposition from the US. The Israelis had suggested postponing the talks until Monday, the US broadcaster CNN quoted US officials as saying. However, scheduling is made more difficult by the fact that Israel’s government has until Sunday to draft a new law on the question of conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. They have long been exempt from compulsory military service.
Law expires April 1st
Because of the war in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s government is under pressure to end the exemption of the ultra-Orthodox community from military service. A law allowing their exemption expired last year. Since then, a temporary regulation has been in effect – but only until Sunday. Israel’s government, which includes strict religious parties, is working on a new law to exempt ultra-Orthodox believers. Netanyahu had asked the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for drafting a bill.
Following an interim court order this week to end state subsidies for ultra-Orthodox men of military age from April 1, a ruling on whether these men will also be subject to military conscription in the future could follow on Sunday. Unless the court grants Netanyahu’s request for a further 30-day delay.
Therefore, it is still unclear whether the Israeli delegation will be allowed to travel to the USA while this domestic political matter is still in flux, CNN reported. U.S. officials said an exact date for the visit to Washington has not been set. “We are working on setting a date,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre a few days ago. Netanyahu’s office agreed to reschedule the meeting. When asked, Netanyahu’s office said the head of government had not approved the delegation’s departure. However, it was not denied that discussions were being held.