Israeli Knesset Committee Approves Temporary Freeze on Enforcement Against Haredi Draft Dodgers

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee narrowly approved a bill on Sunday to freeze enforcement actions against Haredi yeshiva students who evade military service. The vote was eight in favor and seven against, marking a significant, albeit temporary, shift in the ongoing public and legal debate over the draft exemption for Torah scholars. The freeze will last 90 days, during which no arrests, investigations, or enforcement measures will be taken against these students.

However, the bill imposes strict conditions for exemption eligibility. Yeshiva students must prove they have dedicated at least 45 hours per week (40 for married students) to Torah study over the past three years, starting from July 2023, or from age 18 for younger individuals. A special military committee, including a military prosecutor and two deputy generals, will review affidavits submitted by the students and yeshiva heads. The Defense Ministry will compile an approved list of yeshivas based on recommendations from the Council of Yeshivas.

Despite the freeze on arrests and investigations, other economic sanctions remain in place, such as travel bans and disqualification from housing benefits like the "Price for Residents" program. Oversight will be conducted by an appointed supervisor who will monitor attendance; if absenteeism exceeds 20%, warnings will be issued, potentially leading to removal from the approved list. Critics have expressed concern over the vague enforcement mechanisms and the limited number of supervisors assigned.

The 90-day freeze could effectively extend to six months due to automatic extensions during election periods. Legal experts anticipate that the bill may face challenges in the Supreme Court on grounds of discrimination and violation of equality principles, but any judicial review is expected to be slow. The bill’s approval follows weeks of arrests of yeshiva students, which sparked significant controversy within the Haredi community. Lawmakers from United Torah Judaism, including Meir Porush and Yaakov Asher, strongly supported the bill, calling it a message that most of the Jewish public opposes the arrests and urging for its final approval in the Knesset plenum this week. The legislation comes amid political uncertainty with the Knesset’s impending dissolution and upcoming elections.