Israeli Committee to Begin Debates on Freezing Enforcement Against Draft-Dodging Yeshiva Students

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will start discussions on Tuesday regarding a proposed temporary law to freeze enforcement actions against yeshiva students classified as draft dodgers. The bill aims to halt arrests, investigations, and criminal proceedings for 90 days from the law's enactment for those who declare they meet the criteria of recognized yeshiva students, pending individual review.

Under the proposal, applicants must submit personal affidavits along with a signed declaration from their yeshiva head or authorized representative. A special IDF committee will be established within seven days of the law's start to evaluate each case individually. During this review period, no legal actions can be taken against the applicants, and ongoing proceedings will be suspended or halted if final judgments exist.

The bill also introduces stricter oversight mechanisms for yeshivas, including requirements for students to study at least 45 hours weekly, refrain from additional employment, and submit relevant declarations. Yeshivas will undergo inspections every three months, maintain attendance records, and face removal from official lists if 20% or more of students are repeatedly absent.

Government Secretary Yossi Fox sent a letter to Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth expressing government support for the bill, citing the loss of legal status for yeshiva students following the expiration of the deferment arrangement. Fox noted that this has led to budget cuts and various economic and civil restrictions on yeshivas. He added that the government's legal counsel instructed the IDF to increase arrests of non-enlisting yeshiva students, even if they are not actively studying.

Fox warned that these arrests do not promote enlistment within the ultra-Orthodox community but rather deepen the divide, raising concerns about potential internal conflict just days before the traditional mourning period of Bein HaMetzarim begins.