Israeli Political Bloc Offers Ultra-Orthodox Draft Deferral
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
The Change Bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, has proposed a one-year freeze on conscription and arrests for ultra-Orthodox men to gain their support for a new Israeli government. This move aims to address concerns from United Torah Judaism about concrete guarantees on the draft law. However, the proposal faces significant legal challenges, as the High Court of Justice has previously deemed similar freezes illegal. The Israeli military also opposes abandoning enforcement measures against draft dodgers. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to keep the Shas party within his bloc.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The Change Bloc proposed a one-year freeze on ultra-Orthodox conscription and arrests to secure government support.
- The proposal aims to address ultra-Orthodox concerns about guarantees on the military draft law.
- The High Court of Justice has previously ruled similar draft law freezes illegal.
- The Israeli military opposes abandoning enforcement measures against draft dodgers.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu is pressuring the Shas party to remain in his bloc.
- Avigdor Lieberman's stance on supporting a government with Ra'am's backing remains a key obstacle.
The Change Bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is proposing a one-year freeze on mandatory conscription and arrests of draft dodgers for ultra-Orthodox men to secure their support for a new government. This initiative aims to persuade the United Torah Judaism party to back the formation of a government, following Avigdor Lieberman's removal of his veto on cooperating with ultra-Orthodox parties. The core issue is the ultra-Orthodox community's concern about not receiving concrete guarantees on the sensitive draft law before a new government is sworn in.
The proposed one-year deferral would allow time for both sides to develop a mutually agreed-upon draft law, based on a 2018 proposal by Lieberman. Supporters point to a precedent set by the outgoing government, which froze ultra-Orthodox conscription and enforcement measures until March 2024 after the previous draft law expired in June 2023. However, implementing such a freeze faces significant legal and political hurdles.
The High Court of Justice (Bagatz) has previously ruled similar freezes illegal, citing a lack of constitutional authority for an outgoing government to suspend conscription laws. A new government's similar decision could also be overturned. The ultra-Orthodox parties desire a solution that can withstand judicial scrutiny. An alternative is a separate law to suspend arrests of draft dodgers, though past attempts were struck down by Bagatz for procedural violations and discrimination against yeshiva students.
The Israeli military (IDF) has expressed opposition to completely abandoning arrests for draft dodgers, with Brigadier General Shai Tayeb stating that enforcement measures are crucial for ensuring compliance with military service laws. Despite these challenges, a one-year delay could be a significant political achievement for United Torah Judaism chairman Yaakov Asher.
Even if United Torah Judaism agrees, the Shas party, led by Arie Deri, is expected to remain hesitant. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pressuring Shas to stay with his bloc, while also trying to convince Asher that joining Eisenkot's bloc won't guarantee the fall of a future government. A major obstacle for the Change Bloc is Lieberman's stance if Shas refuses to join; he has stated he will vote against a government supported by the Ra'am party, creating a dilemma for him as he seeks to end Netanyahu's tenure.
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