JERUSALEM - An official Israeli committee on Thursday handed the government its proposal for ending a contentious system that grants Jewish ultra-Orthodox seminary students automatic exemptions from military service, setting the stage for what could become the first major conflict in the new Israeli coalition government.]]>Thu, 23 May 2013 15:42:42 -0400http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b844f4edefce45f0ad62f4caae7c5d27/ML--Israel-Jailed-Conscripthttp://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b844f4edefce45f0ad62f4caae7c5d27/ML--Israel-Jailed-Conscript

JERUSALEM - The Israeli military has jailed a young man for six months for refusing to serve because of his opposition to Israel's occupation of the West Bank, focusing attention on the longstanding conflict between the country's universal military service and divided political beliefs.]]>Wed, 22 May 2013 02:51:58 -0400http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/2a8fedd824f9430ebdd30bfc45c4d98d/AS-Taiwan-Farewell-to-Armshttp://www.therepublic.com/view/story/2a8fedd824f9430ebdd30bfc45c4d98d/AS-Taiwan-Farewell-to-Arms

TAIPEI, Taiwan - A Taiwanese plan to end mandatory military service and shift to an all-volunteer force is running into a problem: not enough volunteers.]]>Mon, 13 May 2013 22:34:20 -0400