Israeli Party Proposes Draft Reform, Capping Haredi Torah Scholars at 25%

The Am Israel party, led by retired Brigadier General Ofer Vinter, has unveiled a draft plan that aims to regulate the status of young Israelis eligible for military service. The proposal mandates that every citizen of service age must register with the state and choose one of three paths: service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), national-civilian service, or study in a recognized and supervised religious framework.

A central tenet of the plan is to limit the number of yeshiva students recognized as Torah scholars to no more than 25% of the Haredi conscript cohort. This quota would be determined by the security establishment's needs and absorption capacity, though the plan does not set a mandatory numerical target for Haredi enlistment in the IDF.

The party advocates for a "give and take" principle, distinguishing between citizens based on their chosen path. This would involve legislating a system of rights and benefits tailored to each track. The plan also includes a significant increase in the salaries of regular soldiers and a doubling of combat soldiers' pay near the end of their service. The party has not yet detailed the budgetary costs or the implementation timeline.

Additional components of the proposal include establishing tailored service frameworks within the IDF to better integrate diverse populations and creating a support system for Haredi youth who choose to enlist, as well as their families. Vinter, who has prior experience in establishing combat service frameworks for the Haredi community, stated that the Defense Minister and Ministry would be responsible for defining the tracks, criteria, and oversight mechanisms. The Defense Ministry would be required to submit semi-annual reports to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on the supervision of yeshivas and students.

The Am Israel party commits to passing the legislation before the formation of the next government, ensuring its inclusion in coalition agreements and the state budget. The drafting process involved party member Lili Darai, whose son fell in combat in Gaza, and Aviv Ezra, a reservist and founder of the "Dor HaNitzachon" movement focused on benefits for reservists.