MK Meir Porush Urges Israeli Police to Refuse Arrests of Haredi Draft Dodgers

During a heated Knesset debate on a bill prohibiting the arrest of Haredi yeshiva students labeled as draft dodgers, MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism addressed police officers directly, urging them not to carry out arrest orders he described as illegitimate. Porush defended the bill by citing official military documents, particularly the recommendations of the "Shkedi Committee," a professional panel established in December 2023 by then-Defense Minister Yoav Galant to examine Haredi integration into the IDF. He emphasized that the bill is not a political whim but a practical implementation of this committee’s guidance, which was supported by senior military leaders including former Air Force Commander Eliezer Shkedi, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and former Defense Ministry Director General Eyal Zamir.

Porush questioned the recent opposition from the current Chief of Staff to the legislation, highlighting that the military leadership had previously endorsed the committee’s recommendations. He framed the bill, promoted by Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth, as a necessary step to prevent deep societal divisions. Turning to the judiciary, Porush warned Supreme Court justices against overturning the law, accusing them of exacerbating social rifts and threatening to worsen tensions if the law is invalidated. He linked judicial pressure to recent violent clashes between civilians and Haredi protesters in Ashdod and on Route 1.

In an extraordinary appeal, Porush called on tens of thousands of Israeli police officers to refuse to enforce arrest orders against Haredi draft dodgers if the Supreme Court annuls the law, stating such orders would be unlawful and marked by a "black flag" of illegitimacy. His remarks sparked sharp interruptions from opposition members, who accused him of manipulating the Shkedi Committee’s intent, which aimed to increase Haredi enlistment rather than grant blanket exemptions. The opposition condemned Porush’s call to disobey police orders as a serious breach of the rule of law and equality, especially during a time of war when the IDF urgently needs manpower.