Supreme Court Sets Date for Dramatic Debate on Yeshivah Students’ Drafting

By Hamodia Staff

The dramatic debate in the Supreme Court, regarding the appeal demanding the drafting of yeshivah students, will take place with an expanded panel of nine judges on June 2, the court announced Wednesday.

The debate will decide the fate of yeshivah students if a Draft Law is not enacted by then. This comes after appeals were filed against the non-drafting of yeshivah students. A few weeks ago, with the legal status revoked for yeshivah students, the Supreme Court issued a provisional order compelling yeshivah students to enlist and halting budgets to institutions where the bachurim learn.

Until the end of April, the state must respond to the Supreme Court with a declaration of intent regarding its actions to advance the drafting of yeshivah students.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the government is seeking separate representation in the Supreme Court on the draft issue. The implication is that the government will hire private attorneys instead of the state prosecutor’s office to represent it in the Supreme Court.

In a letter sent by Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, it was requested that Deputy Attorney General for Legislation Adv. Gil Limon represent the state independently, and not by the Attorney General’s Office, in appeals related to the drafting of the yeshivah students. “It is appropriate that in such a far-reaching public issue, in the midst of a war, separate legal representation for the government in these appeals is approved,” it was written in the letter.

In the letter sent by the deputy attorney general in the past two weeks, it was written: “The deputy attorney general believes that it is possible to allow only a short preparation period, as an interim measure, during which it will be possible to continue providing support, taking into account the need for the institutions supported and the students studying in them to prepare for the new situation. As far as the honorable court deems appropriate, the state proposes to allow it to submit a supplementary response, detailing the preparation of the drafting authorities for the drafting of yeshivah students and avreichim.”