Israeli Government Passes Controversial Exemptions from Military Service for Ultra-Orthodox Youth

Sharon Barik-Dashen, a leading figure in the Partnership for Service Forum, sharply criticizes two recently advanced Israeli laws, the Basic Law on Torah Study and the Absentee Law, for granting broad exemptions from military service. She argues these laws undermine equality in burden-sharing, fail to address security needs, and deepen societal divisions. With over 1,000 days of ongoing conflict and more than 15,000 combatants urgently needed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), over 100,000 young ultra-Orthodox men are on track to receive full exemptions from service.

Barik-Dashen highlights the failure of the government to pass the Bismuth Law, which would have added only a few hundred soldiers, and condemns the Daycare Law for prioritizing facilities for draft evaders’ children over reservists’ families. Instead, the government has promoted two additional laws that complement and reinforce each other: the Basic Law on Torah Study and the Absentee Law.

She describes the Basic Law on Torah Study as degrading to Jewish tradition by using it as a basis for exemption from national defense responsibilities, contradicting Zionist values and severely harming state security. This law, carrying the weight of a Basic Law, may serve as a foundation for future exemption legislation. The Absentee Law, also known as the Arrest Law, ostensibly opposes arrests but effectively abolishes sanctions against those refusing to enlist or serve, granting unconditional exemptions to yeshiva students without professional criteria. The IDF will be burdened with administrative tasks during wartime, diverting resources from security needs.

Barik-Dashen condemns these laws for discriminating against those who serve and deepening inequality, calling the Absentee Law a de facto unconditional pardon. She criticizes the government for failing to link state benefits to military service, support pre-army combat frameworks, or present effective recruitment milestones. The laws were passed just days before the summer Knesset session ended, marking a dark moment for the government’s legacy and provoking resentment among serving soldiers and reservists who have sacrificed for the country.

The author warns that the public will remember this government’s actions at the next elections, holding it accountable for humiliating and disregarding those who defend Israel. She calls for recognition of security needs and fair burden-sharing as essential for the nation’s future.