Itzik Saidyan Urges Knesset to Prioritize Combat Soldiers Over Torah Study Law

Itzik Saidyan strongly criticized lawmakers during a Knesset debate on the Basic Law for Torah Study, urging them to prioritize the value of combat soldiers who risk their lives. Saidyan emphasized that while Torah study and military service are important, only about 10% of the population actually fight in combat, losing comrades and enduring severe sacrifices on the front lines. He called on legislators to recognize the supreme value of these fighters, including those wounded and struggling with the feeling that the state has forgotten them.

The Knesset approved the Basic Law for Torah Study in a preliminary vote on Wednesday, granting Torah students rights equal to those serving in the military. The bill passed with 63 votes in favor and 53 against. This law is intended to replace the existing conscription law despite opposition from the government’s legal advisor, Gali Baharav-Miara, who warned that the government cannot legally support increasing the burden on soldiers while simultaneously enabling mass draft evasion.

Last week, Kan News reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised ultra-Orthodox parties to expedite the Basic Law for Torah Study and the draft evasion detention law. This pledge comes amid a voting boycott by ultra-Orthodox parties, which escalated after the coalition’s "Red Cross" bill was defeated in its first reading.