Israeli Knesset Passes First Reading of Basic Law on Torah Study Amid Coalition Rift

The Israeli Knesset approved in a first reading the Basic Law proposal titled "Torah Study" on Wednesday, with 63 votes in favor and 53 against. The vote took place in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and marks a significant step in legislation promoted by ultra-Orthodox parties. The bill, initiated by MKs Moshe Gafni, Yaakov Asher, and Yitzhak Pindros, declares Torah study a "fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people and the state," aiming to balance it with other basic laws.

The vote exposed tensions within the coalition, as four coalition MKs, Yuli Edelstein, Dan Illouz, Sharren Haskel, and Moshe Solomon, voted against the bill, sparking uproar in the Knesset. Dan Illouz, who had announced his opposition beforehand, criticized the bill for using Torah study to exempt individuals from defending the nation, calling it a dangerous departure from Jewish tradition amid Israel's ongoing existential conflict.

Moshe Gafni, chairman of the Degel HaTorah party, defended the bill by citing a decline in respect for Torah and the directive of leading rabbis to restore its honor. Yitzhak Pindros further stirred controversy by stating in the Knesset that Torah study is the highest value in the state, surpassing military service, a comment that drew criticism from opposition and some coalition members.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply condemned the bill at the Herzliya conference, accusing ultra-Orthodox politicians of disregarding the lives of Israeli children and prioritizing funding over national unity. He urged coalition members to vote against the proposal.

The bill emerges amid ongoing tensions over the conscription of yeshiva students and the detention of draft evaders. Government Secretary Yossi Fox recently requested a temporary order preventing the detention of draft evaders for three months. The legislation is expected to provoke further public and political debate as it advances to second and third readings, raising fundamental questions about balancing core values in Israel as a Jewish and democratic state while maintaining equal burden-sharing and national unity.