Knesset Legal Advisor Urges Supreme Court to Cancel Law Freezing Haredi Draft Arrests

Attorney Yitzhak Bert, representing the Knesset's legal advisor, told Israel's Supreme Court during hearings on petitions against the law freezing arrests of draft-dodging Haredi men that there is no choice but to annul the law. He argued that the legislation was not enacted in accordance with the Knesset's rules and violated Basic Law provisions, stating, "The Knesset is authorized to legislate according to Basic Law, and apparently there is no choice but to cancel it." Bert emphasized the importance of addressing procedural flaws in the law's passage.

Attorney Enar Helman, head of the Supreme Court department in the State Attorney's Office, added that the law effectively exempts draft evaders from military service obligations by preventing authorities from initiating criminal proceedings against them. This legal freeze on enforcement has raised concerns about undermining the recruitment system.

The Supreme Court is currently reviewing multiple petitions challenging the law, which was enacted to halt arrests of Haredi men who refuse conscription into the Israel Defense Forces. The court's decision will have significant implications for Israel's conscription policies and the legal framework governing military service exemptions.