Netanyahu Reverses Stance on Haredi Draft Exemption Law Amid Poll Backlash

Nearly three weeks after the Knesset approved the controversial temporary exemption from arrest law for Haredi draft dodgers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a closed session that the law failed to reduce tensions or increase Haredi enlistment, and promised no such law would exist in the next government. Sources close to Netanyahu said recent polls revealed significant electoral damage caused by the legislative deal with Haredi parties, prompting the Likud to seek corrections. Netanyahu vowed to form a broad national government after the elections to pass a comprehensive draft law requiring all non-Torah-studying Haredim to enlist or face imprisonment.

The exemption law passed with a narrow 58-54 vote, with Netanyahu absent during the vote, as he was during other contentious bills. The Supreme Court issued an interim injunction preventing the law from taking effect, citing serious concerns about equality, previous rulings on conscription, and warnings that the law encourages draft evasion. In a nine-justice hearing last week, the court sharply criticized the law’s discriminatory enforcement, especially during wartime and military manpower shortages.

Netanyahu’s recent campaign against the Haredi exemption law has drawn harsh criticism from political opponents and some within his own coalition. Right-wing figures and former ministers expressed disappointment, accusing Netanyahu of prioritizing electoral gains over military needs. Opposition leaders, including former PM Naftali Bennett and Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Lieberman, condemned Netanyahu for failing to address draft evasion and military shortages. Likud MK Dan Illouz, who voted against the law and plans to leave the party, accused Netanyahu of hypocrisy and appeasing Haredi demands repeatedly.

The controversy highlights deep divisions over Haredi conscription amid ongoing security challenges. Netanyahu’s promise to enforce a full draft law after the elections aims to repair damage to his party’s standing but faces skepticism from critics who doubt his commitment or ability to implement such reforms. The political fallout continues as Israel grapples with balancing military needs and coalition politics.