Israeli Draft Evasion Law Likely to Be Overturned Before October Elections

Legal sources indicate that the law aimed at stopping the detention of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders is expected to be annulled and will not come into effect before the upcoming elections. This was reported on Wednesday evening by Kan News. The Israeli Supreme Court hinted in its decision earlier that day that the law contradicts existing legal principles and may be struck down. According to legal insiders, the law is unlikely to be implemented anytime soon and, if current trends continue, will not be enforced before the October elections. Observers familiar with the matter noted that this represents a failure for the coalition both politically and legally, especially since the Basic Law on Torah Study, which was approved earlier in the week, is not expected to have any impact on this issue. Additionally, a coalition Knesset member who opposed the cancellation of draft evader detentions stated that opposing the law goes against his conscience. The law to freeze the detention of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders recently passed its second and third readings in the Knesset.