MK Meir Porush Urges Freeze on Yeshiva Students' Arrests Amid IDF Manpower Crisis

During a heated session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) sharply criticized both committee members and legal advisors for failing to resolve the ongoing draft crisis involving ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. The discussion focused on a proposed bill to suspend the detention of yeshiva students who refuse to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Porush acknowledged the severe manpower shortage faced by the IDF since the outbreak of the recent war but blamed the entire political system for the stalemate. He emphasized that the coalition and opposition alike have failed to find a solution, stating, "We have all sinned, and because of our conduct, there is no law." Porush reiterated his longstanding position that those engaged in full-time Torah study should receive draft deferments.

He questioned why the committee ignored professional military recommendations, citing the conclusions of the committee led by retired General Eliezer Shkedi, which advocated exempting serious full-time learners from conscription following the October 7 failures. Porush accused the committee of avoiding these expert opinions to engage in political confrontation, resulting in no progress.

The debate intensified as Porush called for an immediate halt to the arrests of draft-dodging yeshiva students, proposing a pardon framework or suspension of proceedings. He criticized the legal advisors' opposition, comparing their stance unfavorably to David Ben-Gurion's pragmatic approach in securing national consensus. Porush urged the legal representatives to find a consensual solution, warning against endorsing the current chaos on the streets and highlighting precedents for pardons after major national events such as the Six-Day War, the disengagement plan, and the detention of Ethiopian community members.