Israeli youths defy conscription to protest judicial overhaulAround 220 Israeli youngsters have announced their rejection of the mandatory military draft in protest against the government's judicial overhaul planBy IANS Published Date - 10:00 AM, Thu - 31 August 23IANS PhotoJerusalem: Around 220 Israeli youngsters have announced their rejection of the mandatory military draft in protest against the government’s judicial overhaul plan, further raising concerns over the plan’s potential impact on the country’s military preparedness. The group, known as “Youths Against Dictatorship”, said in a statement on Wednesday that about 220 high school students have decided to reject the mandatory conscription due to the legal overhaul, which has sparked mass demonstrations across the country for 34 consecutive weeks, reports Xinhua news agency. “We will decline to serve a government that undermines the judicial system,” they wrote, adding that on September 3, they will release an open letter to the army, formally declaring their intent to refuse. The overhaul aims at weakening the legal system and mainly the Supreme Court. Opponents argue that it undermines the rule of law in Israel, while Netanyahu’s ultranationalist government maintains that the reform is necessary to curb the overly activist and “leftist” legal system.
