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STORY: Israel's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday (June 25) that the state must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students into the military.

It's a decree that has divided lawmakers, and could cause further tension in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition.

Netanyahu's government relies on two ultra-Orthodox parties.

Both see conscription exemptions as key to keeping their constituents in religious seminaries, and away from a melting-pot military that might test their conservative customs.

Leaders of those parties said they were disappointed with the ruling - but neither issued an immediate threat to the government.

Moshe Roth is from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.

"This ruling actually doesn't have any implications, any practical implications. It is more of a declaration, more than anything else. It doesn't add anything to the defense issue at this time. So it's very hard to give any credit to this ruling, it doesn't mean very much. In fact, the High Court shouldn't have interfered at all in this issue."

The prospect of the military starting to draft seminary students could widen cracks in Netanyahu's increasingly brittle coalition.

Some voiced hopes that all parties will work together on the conscription issue.

Ariel Kallner is from Netanyahu's own Likud party.

"We are committed in the Knesset to to the IDF needs, but we are also committed that this paradigm that the ultra-Orthodox community will feel comfortable in the army and it will not feel a threat on their beliefs and they and they will be able to enter the army is it looks and go out of the army as ultra-Orthodox and this is our commitment and we are going to work on it."

Opposition parties have welcomed the ruling.

The ultra-Orthodox conscription waiver has come at a time when Israel's armed forces are overstretched due to the multi-front war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israelis are bound by law to serve in the military from the age of 18 - three years for men and two years for women.

Members of Israel's Arab minority are exempt, though some do serve.

And ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students have also been largely exempt for decades.

The law for their exemption expired last year, but the government continued to allow them not to serve.

In the absence of a new legal basis for the exemption, the Supreme Court's ruling means the state must draft them.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders see the exemptions as vital for preserving their traditions.

The long-standing military waiver has sparked protests in recent months by Israelis angry that they are shouldering the risk of fighting the war in Gaza.

Ultra-Orthodox demonstrators have taken to the streets, blocking roads and marching with signs and banners.

The ultra-Orthodox community makes up 13% of Israel's 10 million population - a figure expected to climb due to their high birth rates.