There is a lot of talk in Israel about the Charedim serving in the army. It is a lost cause. Whether one agrees or not - it will never happen. It is just as likely to happen as all the men in Tel Aviv grow long beards and peyos and all of the women wear long skirts, long sleeves and the married women cover their hair. It is actually less likely b/c the latter WILL happen when Moshiach arrives whereas the Charedim will NEVER enlist [en masse] in Tzahal.
I live among them and know how they think. They would sooner all move to America [or go to jail] than go to the army.
There are two basic reasons: 1] The army is a secular entity run by a secular establishment and is thus completely off base [pun intended] and beyond the pale. How can people whose entire lives revolve around keeping Torah and mitzvos join a system which is run by people who are light years away from Torah and mitzvos? 2] The goal of much of the Chareidi world is that every man who can should spend his entire life learning Torah. Army service doesn't fit into the schedule. They believe that this is ratzon Hashem. There is nothing that can override this. Period.
So people can get red in the face arguing that to not serve is immoral or against the Torah or all of the other arguments but nothing will change the reality. The Charedim are not going to the army. This will continue to divide our people until Moshiach comes and Hashem's glory is revealed for all to see. Most secular people [and many Dati Leumi as well] can't understand this attitude for the life of them. Just like Charedim can't understand how people get excited over a ball which consumes billions of people in its hot air.
Who is right?
I am not one to say and have to date not been appointed Hashem's spokesman. But my own personal position is that the Torah is the word of Hashem and the ones most qualified to interpret the Torah are Gedolei Torah. And they have spoken loud and clear almost unanimously since the birth of the State on this matter. They know Tanach and Shas and the Rambam and all of the sources quoted to prove that they are wrong and haven't budged a millimeter.
This doesn't mean that people who risk their lives to defend Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael are anything but heroes. Heroes they are. But it also means that the men in the Beis Medrash are not doing anything wrong. On the contrary.
Am Yisrael needs both.