Netanyahu Considers Holding Elections on Time Amid Deal to Pass Ultra-Orthodox Laws

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is contemplating holding the upcoming elections on their scheduled date, October 27, or close to it, as part of efforts to finalize a legislative deal with ultra-Orthodox parties. This deal aims to approve a series of laws demanded by the ultra-Orthodox community, including measures related to the status and legal protections of yeshiva students.

Defense Minister Israel Katz has urgently requested the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by Boaz Bismuth, to convene this week to discuss a temporary freeze on criminal proceedings against yeshiva students. Katz emphasized the need to define who qualifies as a yeshiva student, the conditions for the freeze, and effective enforcement to ensure that exemptions are not exploited by those avoiding military service without studying Torah. Bismuth confirmed the committee will meet this week.

The Knesset also debated a Basic Law on Torah Study, with Shas MK Yoav Ben-Tzur visiting imprisoned yeshiva students and updating them on parliamentary efforts to halt arrests and regulate their status. Degel HaTorah leader MK Moshe Gafni highlighted the historical importance of Torah study for the Jewish people and called for its recognition as a supreme value in Israel. Conversely, Likud MK Dan Illouz criticized the coalition for advancing legislation that he said insults the public and desecrates the Torah by enabling continued exemptions from military service under the guise of Torah study.

Netanyahu recently claimed, inaccurately, that police were arresting Torah students inside yeshivas, a statement contradicted by police reports. He argued that arrests of yeshiva students reduce military recruitment and called for ending such arrests, while maintaining sanctions against those not genuinely studying Torah. Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs also urged freezing criminal proceedings against Torah learners for three months during the election period, with effective supervision.

Despite claims of numerous arrests of draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox, the IDF has not released detailed data. However, a recent Knesset committee hearing revealed an increase in ultra-Orthodox enlistment since the war began, rising from an average of 700 recruits before the war to approximately 2,800 currently. Still, the military estimates there are about 90,000 draft evaders among the ultra-Orthodox. The rise in enlistment is partly attributed to the deterrent effect of sanctions and arrests.

This legislative push and political maneuvering occur amid ongoing tensions over ultra-Orthodox military exemptions and the broader coalition dynamics in Israel's government.