Netanyahu Rejects Temporary Detention Law, Promises Full Draft Reform After Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the temporary detention law during a closed-door meeting, clarifying that it will not be advanced in the next government. The law, which the Israeli Supreme Court recently froze from taking effect, aimed to reduce tensions and increase military enlistment among the ultra-Orthodox community but failed to achieve its goals. Netanyahu stated that after the upcoming elections, he intends to form a broad national government that will pass a comprehensive draft law meeting the Israel Defense Forces' needs, emphasizing, "Whoever does not study Torah will be drafted or go to jail."

Last week, the Supreme Court issued an interim injunction suspending the law's implementation following petitions against the amendment. The nine-judge panel noted they would issue a final ruling soon. The court's decision came after a dramatic hearing where Knesset representative and lawyer Yitzhak Bart argued the amendment did not comply with legislative procedures, as it introduced a new subject unrelated to the original bill. Bart insisted the law must be canceled because the original bill focused on integrating yeshiva students into the IDF, national service, and employment, while the amendment dealt with freezing enforcement procedures, a fundamentally different issue.

The temporary detention law was intended to prevent the arrest of yeshiva students, a contentious issue amid ongoing protests and roadblocks by the ultra-Orthodox community. Netanyahu's commitment to a full draft reform law signals a continued focus on resolving the military service exemption debate after the elections.