Hasidic Rabbis Ask Trump to Intervene in Israeli Draft Crisis
A delegation of Hasidic rabbis, including anti-Zionist leaders from Satmar, met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, presenting him with a letter urging his intervention in the contentious issue of military conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel. The rabbis also requested Trump's assistance for dual U.S.-Israeli citizens who are unable to leave Israel due to the draft.
The letter, initiated by the "Aid and Counseling Center" organization led by Shimon Shisha, was signed by all the rabbis before being presented to the president. It pleaded for Trump's intervention on behalf of approximately 100,000 students studying in Israeli yeshivas and rabbinical seminaries.
The rabbis argued that for nearly 200 years, students in recognized religious institutions were exempt from U.S. military service, and a similar exemption existed in Israel for over 75 years until its recent cancellation. They stated this cancellation has "devastated" the Haredi community, asserting that the Israeli military cannot accommodate the religious and cultural needs of the ultra-Orthodox, making service in a secular army nearly impossible without sacrificing their identity and religious freedoms. They contrasted this with the protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.
The letter detailed the "real fear" experienced by tens of thousands of devout students, with dozens currently imprisoned for draft refusal. It highlighted the constant anxiety of every Haredi man of draft age, who could be arrested at any moment solely for his religious beliefs.
Furthermore, the rabbis appealed for U.S. intervention regarding dual citizens who cannot leave Israel for any reason, including seeking refuge. They claimed thousands of American citizens with dual nationality are unable to return home. The letter concluded with a plea for the U.S. government to raise the issue with senior Israeli officials and urge them to follow Trump's example in protecting the religious freedoms of Haredi Jews instead of persecuting them.
