Supreme Court Deliberates on Appeals for Yeshivah Student Draft and Budget Cuts to Torah World

By Hamodia Staff

The Supreme Court on Monday deliberated on appeals filed against the non-conscription of yeshivah students and budgetary support for the Torah world. The appeals were filed against the government’s decision not to enforce the Security Service Law on the chareidi public, even after the expiration of the last Draft Law.

The Supreme Court panel consisted of Acting Chief Justice Uzi Vogelman, and Judges Yitzchak Amit and Noam Solberg. It is unlikely that a decision will be reached at the end of the hearing, unless there are surprises. Other appeals related to government financial support to the Torah world were also attached to the discussion.

Attorney-General Gali Bahar-Miara had already informed the Supreme Court that if the government does not reapprove an exemption from draft by the end of next month, the duty to draft yeshivah students into the IDF will come into effect. In her statement, Bahar-Miara conveyed the state’s position: “Starting April 1, 2024, without legislation by the government of Israel, there is no legal basis for the state to refrain from drafting yeshiva students.”

In the government, there were considerations to ask the Supreme Court, due to the war in Gaza, to allow the continuation of the current situation. However, Bahar-Miara clarified that there is no such scenario in the law, and she will not defend such a move in the Supreme Court. This implies that the government of Israel will need to actively convene by the end of March to approve the continuation of the draft exemption for yeshivah students and declare that new legislation on draft will be approved.