This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
The Knesset has approved the first reading of a controversial Basic Law that would enshrine Torah study as a foundational value of the State of Israel, in a move critics say is designed to protect strictly Orthodox draft dodgers from sanctions.
The legislation passed yesterday by 63 votes to 53 after a heated debate and now returns to committee before facing two further votes required to become law.
Sponsored by United Torah Judaism lawmakers Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, and backed by Shas, the measure forms part of a broader Charedi effort to preserve military exemptions for yeshiva students.
The bill comes as Israel continues to grapple with manpower shortages during its ongoing multi-front war. The IDF has repeatedly stated it requires around 12,000 additional recruits, while some 80,000 strictly Orthodox men of military age are believed to be eligible for service but have not enlisted.
Opponents argue the legislation seeks to circumvent a 2024 High Court ruling that found blanket exemptions for yeshiva students unconstitutional.
The Knesset’s legal advisers and the Attorney General’s Office have also criticised both the substance of the bill and the speed with which it was advanced.
Four coalition lawmakers broke ranks to vote against the measure: Likud MKs Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel and Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon.
Solomon said there were “many ways to elevate the status of Torah” but argued the legislation ran “counter to the very fulfillment of Torah.” Illouz said the bill’s sole purpose was to continue granting benefits to those who do not serve in the military.
Opposition leaders also condemned the move. Naftali Bennett pledged to repeal the law if elected, while Gadi Eizenkot said Torah study “cannot be used as a political cover for neglecting the mission of defending the state.”
This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
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