Israeli Parliament Legal Advisor Urges Haredi MKs to Disclose Relatives Avoiding Military Service

Ahead of the vote on the Security Service Law, which addresses the integration of yeshiva students into military service, the Knesset's legal advisor, Attorney Shagit Afik, issued a letter to members of parliament on Tuesday. The letter highlights potential conflicts of interest for lawmakers who have relatives involved in evading military service. Afik explained that the proposed law includes provisions to freeze the arrest of yeshiva students who have not enlisted, halt legal proceedings against them, and prevent prosecution for non-appearance in military service. These measures could directly affect the legal status of individuals subject to military service.

Afik emphasized that if a Knesset member has a relative who has been issued an arrest warrant for evading service, is currently detained, or is undergoing enforcement or legal proceedings related to military service evasion, this creates a potential conflict of interest or at least the appearance of one. In such cases, the MK must disclose this information before participating in discussions or voting on the law. However, she clarified that parliamentary ethics rules do not prohibit voting after such disclosure.

The letter further states that the responsibility to avoid conflicts of interest lies with each MK, based on their personal and family circumstances. Afik noted that having a relative who belongs to the broader group of yeshiva students who have not enlisted, but who have not yet been issued arrest warrants or faced enforcement actions, does not require disclosure due to the group's size.

This guidance comes as the Knesset prepares to debate a contentious law aimed at addressing the exemption of Haredi yeshiva students from military service, a long-standing issue in Israeli society and politics.