{
  "id": 14213404,
  "title": "Bezalel Smotrich says army shortage reports over ultra-Orthodox exemption is a 'lie'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/bezalel-smotrich-says-army-shortage-reports-over-ultra-orthodox",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T13:56:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/bezalel-smotrich-says-army-shortage-reports-over-ultra-orthodox"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Bezalel Smotrich says army shortage reports over ultra-Orthodox exemption is a 'lie' Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has denied reports from some military figures that the army is facing a manpower shortage as a result of ultra-Orthodox not enlisting. “I maintain that the claim that the burden on those serving is heavy because the Haredim do not serve is a complete lie,”…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Smotrich: ‘Complete lie’ that IDF troops are burdened because of Haredi exemption",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/smotrich-complete-lie-that-idf-troops-are-burdened-because-of-haredi",
        "published": "2026-10-13T15:38:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}