The Deputy President of Israel’s Supreme Court, Justice Noam Solberg, together with four other judges, is to be congratulated on having ruled to prohibit the granting of financial advantages to those who refuse to serve in Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF).

The benefits currently derived by haredim who dodge the draft include reductions on homes purchases, subsidized day care centres, lower fares on public transport and reduced city taxes.

Moshe Gafni, leader of the haredi Degel Ha-Torah party, responded to the Supreme Court ruling by saying: “They systematically hit those who study Torah”.

The ruling, of course, has nothing to do with Torah study, but simply........

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