Legal Advisor Condemns Draft Law on Draft Dodgers as Undermining Military Service

Miri Frenkel-Shur, the legal advisor to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, sharply criticized the proposed law on detaining draft dodgers ahead of its committee discussion. In a strongly worded letter to committee members on June 29, 2026, she argued that the updated draft effectively creates a long-term bypass to the existing exemption law from military service, turning it into a "mini draft law." Frenkel-Shur warned that the law grants de facto amnesty to those evading conscription, legitimizing refusal to serve without imposing meaningful sanctions.

Originally intended as a temporary measure to freeze criminal proceedings and detentions of draft dodgers, the revised bill now centers on protecting the status of yeshiva students, emphasizing the importance of Torah study as its main justification. The legal advisor highlighted that this focus effectively institutionalizes exemption for those who do not serve, without imposing reciprocal obligations or penalties.

Frenkel-Shur also noted that the updated draft removed key recruitment targets and economic sanctions against draft evaders, such as withholding benefits from individuals and institutions. She cautioned that this could undermine compliance with military service laws among future conscripts by providing them immunity from legal consequences.

The letter concluded with a warning that the law’s provisions could enable any ultra-Orthodox draft candidate to avoid service entirely without facing enforcement measures, thereby nullifying the original legislative intent. On the same evening, a protest in Bnei Brak against the detention of draft dodgers included incitement against IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, condemned by Defense Minister Yoav Katz, who stressed the importance of respecting boundaries. The rally also featured calls for Shas party leader Aryeh Deri to resign after remarks by Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.