Haredi Parties Drop Controversial Clause from Basic Law on Torah Study

On Thursday afternoon, Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz reached an agreement with the Haredi parties Shas and Degel HaTorah regarding the advancement of the Basic Law: Torah Study. The contentious Section 2, known as the "Justice Balancers" clause, which could have impacted yeshiva funding, exemption from military service, and gender segregation, will be removed from the bill.

In a joint statement, Shas and Degel HaTorah emphasized that after Prime Minister Netanyahu and Likud sought to add new provisions not part of the original draft, they made it clear they would not agree to alter the law's fundamental nature. They added that any additional clauses should be pursued through separate legislation, not within the Basic Law on Torah Study.

Following guidance from leading Torah sages, the law will now only include the primary clause affirming that "Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people." The parties stressed this clause is the core and main principle for which the Basic Law was originally proposed, aiming to enshrine the recognition of Torah study as a foundational value in both Jewish heritage and the State of Israel.