Rabbi David Leibel Condemns Arrests of Yeshiva Students as 'Stupidity and Wickedness'
Rabbi David Leibel, president of the organization "Achvat Torah," sharply criticized the ongoing arrests of draft-dodging yeshiva students amid Israel's persistent conscription crisis. He described the arrests as both "stupidity and wickedness," arguing that the solution lies not in harsher enforcement but in creating a system that distinguishes between genuine Torah learners and those who do not study.
Leibel emphasized that true students should be allowed to continue their studies, while others should be directed to appropriate frameworks. He noted that a proposal has been submitted to authorities aiming to halt the arrests and establish a practical resolution to the crisis. He also criticized the handling of the draft law advancement, calling it a cycle of delays and empty promises, and asserted that only their proposed plan, which has undergone legal review, can provide a real solution.
The plan referenced by Leibel was presented by leaders of the Hesder yeshivas in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Boaz Bismuth. It calls for a one-year freeze on yeshiva student arrests to allow time for a permanent arrangement and a significant expansion of military and civil service tracks for Haredi men.
Under this proposal, the number of Hesder yeshiva students would triple during the freeze, service options in the IDF, police, emergency services, and home front units would be greatly expanded, and recruitment solutions for older Haredi men who previously did not enlist would be promoted. A broad public campaign to encourage service within the Haredi community would also be launched.
The Hesder yeshiva leaders argued that the wave of arrests damages trust with the Haredi public and alienates non-studying youth from service frameworks. They stressed that responsibility for the crisis lies not only with Haredi leadership but also with the judiciary, political echelon, and the IDF, which have failed for years to build the necessary trust and infrastructure for a stable arrangement.
