Yahadut HaTorah Demands Post-Election Commitment on Yeshiva Students’ Status After Netanyahu Remarks

Yahadut HaTorah chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following his statement that the law canceling arrests of draft-dodging yeshiva students failed and that "those who do not study Torah will be drafted or go to jail." Goldknopf declared that after the upcoming elections, his party will only join a government that formalizes the status of yeshiva students and married Torah scholars (avreichim). This stance reflects Yahadut HaTorah’s departure from the current government due to Netanyahu’s unwillingness to resolve this issue or pass a draft law for the ultra-Orthodox.

Opposition leaders also condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as political spin. Naftali Bennett, head of the Yachad party, accused Netanyahu of insulting the serving public and trying to erase four years of preventing ultra-Orthodox conscription. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yisrael party, said Netanyahu continues to disrespect the public and warned that the new spin stems from fear of poll results. Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu accused Netanyahu of deflecting from his failures and asserted he cannot form a government without draft dodgers. Yair Golan, leader of the Democratic camp, called Netanyahu’s comments cynical spin and accused him of fostering draft evasion for over a decade.

On July 15, the Israeli Supreme Court issued a conditional order freezing the implementation of the law that halted arrests of draft-dodging yeshiva students. The court reasoned that the law contradicted rulings on equal burden sharing and professional opinions that such measures encourage draft evasion. A larger panel of the court is expected to hold further hearings on the matter.

This controversy highlights the ongoing political and legal struggle over the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men in Israel, a key issue influencing coalition formations and public debate ahead of the elections.