Israeli Supreme Court Suspends Yeshiva Students' Arrest Law Pending Review

The Israeli Supreme Court issued an interim injunction on Wednesday preventing the enforcement of a new law that would cancel arrests of yeshiva students for draft evasion. This ruling means that arrests of these students will continue for the time being. Additionally, Justice Ofer Grosskopf issued a conditional order requiring the respondents to explain why the law should not be annulled. Unusually, this conditional order was issued immediately upon accepting the petition, before any hearing was scheduled and without requesting a response from the respondents.

Justice Grosskopf justified this exceptional step by citing the court's longstanding rulings on the conscription of yeshiva students, the implications of halting arrest, investigation, and enforcement procedures for specific population groups, and the serious arguments presented by the petitioners in various lawsuits challenging the law's validity. The court also decided that the petitions will be heard as soon as possible by an expanded panel, to be appointed by the Supreme Court President.