Lieberman Proposes Revised 2018 Draft Law for Haredi Military Draft
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman proposed using his 2018 draft law as a basis for Haredi conscription agreements, requiring updates after October 7. The 2018 law set annual recruitment targets and an exemption age of 24, with tiered budget cuts for yeshivas failing to meet quotas. This framework is seen as more lenient than a proposal by Boaz Bismuth, which included personal sanctions and a higher exemption age. The feasibility and specific changes to Lieberman's proposal are still uncertain.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avigdor Lieberman proposed using his 2018 draft law as a basis for Haredi conscription agreements.
- The 2018 law set annual recruitment targets and an exemption age of 24.
- Lieberman's proposal is considered more lenient than Boaz Bismuth's draft law.
- The 2018 framework included tiered budget cuts for yeshivas failing to meet recruitment targets.
- Adjustments to the law are expected following the October 7 events.
- The final form and legal viability of Lieberman's proposal remain uncertain.
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, announced Sunday that a draft law he advanced in 2018 as Defense Minister could serve as a basis for reaching agreements with Haredi parties on military conscription. Lieberman indicated that the framework would require amendments and adjustments following the events of October 7, though he did not specify the nature of these changes.
The 2018 law, which passed its first reading but was not finalized, set escalating annual recruitment targets, starting from approximately 4,000 recruits in the first year and rising to about 6,800 by 2027, including national-civilian service. It also established an exemption age of 24 and allowed married men to join national-civilian service at age 20.
Compared to a bill proposed by Boaz Bismuth, Lieberman's 2018 proposal featured a lower exemption age and focused on institutional budget cuts rather than personal sanctions on yeshiva students. The Bismuth bill, conversely, set an exemption age of 26 and included personal restrictions, such as on driver's licenses and international travel.
A key aspect of Lieberman's 2018 draft concerned economic sanctions. For the first two years, no budget cuts would be imposed on yeshivas for failing to meet targets. Starting in the third year, failure to meet 95% of the target would result in tiered cuts of up to 50% of institutional budgets. If targets were missed by 85% for three consecutive years, the arrangement would expire after one year.
It remains unclear which specific provisions of the old framework Lieberman intends to alter during negotiations with Haredi parties, and whether such a proposal would pass legal review.
