Knesset Committee Debates Law Shielding Ultra-Orthodox Draft Dodgers from Arrest

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee convened on June 30, 2026, to discuss a controversial bill proposed by the government aimed at freezing criminal proceedings against ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who evade military service. The bill, known as the "Draft Dodgers Law," seeks to protect these individuals from arrest and does not impose any military service obligations, instead offering benefits and exemptions to the ultra-Orthodox community.

The discussion was held at the request of the government and Defense Minister Israel Katz, marking the first of at least three days of deliberations. The committee, chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth, reviewed the bill as preparation for its second and third readings. The bill would legally prevent the arrest of draft dodgers for at least three months, suspending criminal proceedings based on a declaration that the students study Torah for 40 to 45 hours weekly.

However, the committee’s legal advisor, Attorney Miri Frenkel-Shur, sharply criticized the updated version of the bill. She argued that the law had significantly changed from its original intent of a temporary freeze on arrests to a long-term legal framework effectively legitimizing draft evasion. Frenkel-Shur described the bill as a "mini draft law" that grants immunity to future draft dodgers and undermines military service enforcement by removing key recruitment targets and sanctions, including economic penalties and travel restrictions.

The legal opinion warned that the bill could encourage non-compliance with military service laws among future conscripts by providing them with preemptive legal protection. The updated text no longer includes mechanisms for recruitment enforcement that were part of the original proposal, raising concerns about its broader implications for Israel’s conscription system.

The committee’s ongoing debate reflects the tension between accommodating the ultra-Orthodox community’s religious study priorities and maintaining the integrity of Israel’s mandatory military service. Further discussions are scheduled for the following days to determine the bill’s fate in the Knesset.