MK Moshe Solomon Votes Against Haredi Draft Deferral Law Citing Personal Conscience

MK Moshe Solomon from the Religious Zionism party voted against the coalition and the law to freeze arrests of draft dodging Haredim during a Knesset vote yesterday. In an interview with Esti Perez on Kan News, Solomon explained that he voted according to his personal conscience and the mandate given to him by his voters. He emphasized that amid the ongoing war and the challenging two-and-a-half years for the military reserves system, passing a vague law that could exempt people from the significant duty and privilege of serving in the IDF was unacceptable. Solomon clarified that he does not oppose Torah study itself but objects to the manner in which this issue is being handled.

The law to freeze arrests of draft dodgers passed its second and third readings in the Knesset with a narrow majority of 58 to 54. Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri stated that the Knesset sent a clear message to the dismissed Attorney General, condemning what he called persecution and hatred toward Torah scholars. Deri said the majority of Israelis respect Torah study and its role in preserving Jewish identity and urged not to let the Attorney General and agitators divide the nation.

Meanwhile, the Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu parties petitioned the Supreme Court against the law, arguing that it grants unprecedented criminal immunity to draft evaders and severely undermines equality, the rule of law, and judicial independence. This challenge comes at a time when hundreds of thousands of mandatory and reserve soldiers bear an unprecedented security burden.

In related legislative activity, the Knesset also voted 46 to 41 to cancel the privatization reform of kosher certification and approved the Basic Law on Torah Study in its final reading.