Haredi Leaders Urge Netanyahu Not to Engage With Hesder Yeshivas on Draft Freeze

About two weeks ago, leaders of Hesder yeshivas proposed a plan to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at halting the arrest of draft-dodging Haredi men. Their proposal included encouraging existing military service tracks, expanding Haredi recruitment into police and fire services, and demanding a significant increase in funding for these yeshivas. However, due to opposition from the broader Haredi establishment, which resists Hesder yeshivas that enlist students into the army, Netanyahu was advised not to cooperate with them. Haredi political factions fear that collaboration with Hesder yeshivas could legitimize their role in regulating the status of draft evaders, a development they want to avoid.

Yesterday, Netanyahu made an unusual claim that Hesder yeshiva leaders had sent him a threatening message. He said they warned that enforcement actions, including raids and arrests of Torah students, would completely halt IDF recruitment efforts. Nonetheless, this claim lacks any factual basis and has not been substantiated.