The debate over the role of the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, particularly regarding military service and government funding, is an important issue. However, it has been cynically weaponized by the political left to create division rather than to actually solve the problem. If you’re someone in the center who simply wants a fair and balanced approach to this issue, it’s important to understand the full picture—not just the headlines and political talking points.
For years, left-wing politicians have loudly criticized Netanyahu’s government over Ultra-Orthodox military exemptions and funding. They claim to champion fairness and equality, yet history tells a very different story. When the political left was in power, they consistently made deals with Ultra-Orthodox parties—often offering them even more funding and fewer restrictions than right-wing governments did. Before one of the last elections, Benny Gantz was literally recorded saying he would hand the Ultra-Orthodox a blank sheet of paper to fill in their demands in exchange for their political support.
The hypocrisy here is glaring. The very people attacking Netanyahu and his coalition for their agreements with the Ultra-Orthodox have done the exact same thing when it served their political interests. In fact, the one finance minister who did the most to reduce Ultra-Orthodox funding was Netanyahu himself when he served under Ariel Sharon’s government.
If this issue is so urgent, why haven’t left-wing governments truly worked to solve it? The answer is simple: They use it as a political tool, not a policy priority. The Ultra-Orthodox community knows this too. Their leaders openly acknowledge that they have historically received more funding from left-wing governments because those governments don’t have to worry about media scrutiny when making those deals. When a right-wing government works with the Ultra-Orthodox, the media and left-wing politicians use it as a wedge issue to stir up resentment.
One of the biggest goals of this manufactured outrage is to break the alliance between religious Zionists and the Ultra-Orthodox. The left hopes that by turning national religious voters against their Ultra-Orthodox counterparts, they can weaken Netanyahu’s base and bring left-wing parties back to power. This is why they run campaigns like “Brothers in IDF Service,” which claim to advocate for equality but are really designed to create political divisions and portray the Ultra-Orthodox as outsiders.
None of this means that the issue isn’t real. It is. Israel needs a better, more sustainable plan for integrating Ultra-Orthodox men into the workforce and the military. But this process is already happening. Change is slow, but progress is being made. More and more Ultra-Orthodox men are serving in the IDF, joining the workforce, and participating in broader Israeli society.
The worst thing we can do is let politicians exploit this issue to divide us. If you’re frustrated by the current situation, you should be demanding real solutions—not just outrage directed at one political side. The media and left-wing politicians are not telling you the whole story. They are using your frustration to advance their own political goals while doing nothing to actually fix the problem.
We all want a fairer, stronger Israel. But that won’t happen through political manipulation. It will happen through honest conversations, gradual societal change, and policies that prioritize long-term success over short-term political gains. Let’s focus on the real issues, not the political games.