Gov’t Approves Temporary Suspension of Chareidi Draft

In a significant move, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant received approval on Sunday to halt the enforcement of drafting of chareidi youth until the government’s legislation on the matter is passed. The decision was made during the government’s morning meeting, despite the opposing votes of Ministers Rabbi Meir Porush and Rabbi Yitzchak Goldknopf. This temporary measure will remain in effect until the winter session of the Knesset, where the comprehensive recruitment outline is expected to be approved, aiming to prevent conflicts.

According to a report by Kan News two weeks ago, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been advocating for a “government decision exemption” to avoid clashes in the Knesset and public opinion. It is anticipated that the government will soon finalize the new draft law, which includes lowering the exemption age for yeshivah students to 23. Additionally, the proposed plan involves modifying the length of military service for IDF soldiers. Those in peripheral and administrative roles will be released earlier, while combat soldiers and those in crucial positions will serve an extended period, with increased compensation of approximately NIS 6,000 during their final months of service.

The government’s approval comes after it was reported two weeks ago that the current draft law’s validity would expire this week, at the end of June. Consequently, the legal basis for exempting yeshivah students from military service would cease to exist. While the IDF has no immediate intention of recruiting yeshivah students, the looming threat remains over their heads. The oversight arose because the original law’s drafters did not anticipate its expiration date preceding the passage of a universally agreed-upon draft law by the State of Israel, thereby avoiding repeated challenges in the High Court.

Since its repeal in 2017, the High Court has extended the draft law 15 times. However, the initial law, enacted in 2014, was originally written until the end of the current month in 2023. Hence, as of this week, there is no legal basis for further extensions. The left-wing organization “Movement for Government Quality” intends to appeal to the High Court, demanding a universal draft for all individuals.