Israeli Supreme Court Suspends Law Ending Arrests of Draft-Dodging Haredi Men

Supreme Court Justice Ofer Groskopf issued a temporary injunction on Wednesday suspending the implementation of a recently passed law that cancels the arrest of draft-dodging Haredi men. The law, approved by the Knesset in a close vote of 58 to 54, aimed to halt the detention of Haredi yeshiva students who refuse military service. Justice Groskopf cited the court's longstanding rulings on the conscription of yeshiva students and the significant legal challenges raised against the law's validity as reasons for the suspension. He ordered the respondents to justify why the law should not be annulled and scheduled a hearing before an expanded panel of the Supreme Court, to be appointed by the court president, at the earliest opportunity.

The law had faced multiple petitions, notably from the Israel Beiteinu and Yesh Atid parties, which challenged its legality. During the Knesset debate, Haredi lawmakers were required to disclose potential conflicts of interest, as some have family members who could be affected by the legislation. The court's intervention temporarily halts the law's effect pending a full judicial review.