The High Court of Justice, in a vote of eight to one, rejected on Thursday four petitions protesting the constitutionality of the Tal law. The Tal law is a temporary law set to expire in 2007 that exempts the Haredim, the ultra-Orthodox, from serving their required military service in the Israel Defense Forces. MK Ran Cohen of Meretz, a petitioner against the law, said, “its not as if this is real affirmative action - rather a distortion of the principle of equality between secular, traditional or religious blood, to that of haredi blood, who don't serve [in the army].” The Court has not made any final decisions, saying it is still too soon.