Last minute legislation: Knesset halts arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders despite IDF manpower crisis

Peloni:  More than all the other threats combined which face the Jewish people today, the lack of unity, and more important, the active attempt to strengthen disunity, among our people poses as the greatest obstacle to the future.

There is a need for both secular and religious communities to work together for our combined survival because both communities are integral to the past, present and future of Jews in general. In truth we have more, much more, in common with one another which should unite us than what stands to divide us, even as the election season drives all points of division and passion to extremes, we need to work with realities.

Importantly, we must recognize that for either the Left or the Right Blocs to form a govt, they each have only 3 options to do so. They can work with eachother, or they can work with the Haredi parties, or they can work with the Arabs, or some combination of these three choices. We saw before that the Left was willing to work with the Arabs to retake power, and this should remain as an important concern to us all.  Ignoring this possibility, however, an important reality that is being ignored in the current political environment is that, while Bibi is being derided for trying to manage the differences with the Haredi in full public view, and before the election takes place, in the post election period it is impossible to believe that the Left, for all their expressed hatred of the Haredi, would not give the Haredi everything they want so as to form the next govt [See Yossi Baum‘s comment on this below the article].  Notably, the Left and the Right have irreconcilable differences. So long as that is the case, the Haredi represent the most obvious choice with which to form a govt, as they will always be a more palatable choice over the Arabs, and this is true for both Blocs, regardless of what the pre-election posturing is currently indicating.

The Haredi hold too much power to not wield it, and this is why they have consistently been instrumental in forming govt policies, with a notable exception of the Bennett govt which saw him sitting with the Arabs instead.  The political consequences of these reality should be what is being argued about in this election cycle. Is it preferable to form a govt with the terrorist supporting Arabs than the Haredi? Or is it reasonable that the Left and the Right can form a govt? These are the arguments which should be focused upon, as all other arguments are based on naive claims that the Right does not need the Haredi, or that the Left will not give the Haredi everything they want so that they can retake power and gain the freedom to truly change the country in devastating and radical ways.

Notably, as was expected in to take place, and which has taken place in record breaking time, the High Court has enjoined the law just passed, stirring the flames anew, all over again.

All Israel News Staff | Published: July 15, 2026

Haredi protests over proposed Draft Law legislation. Screengrab via Youtube.

Just days before the current Knesset term ends, lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation temporarily halting the arrest of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) yeshiva students who ignore IDF draft orders.

The bill passed 58-54, ensuring that until Nov. 30, police will not arrest Haredi men who fail to respond to enlistment notices. Because legislation approved at the close of a Knesset session is automatically extended under parliamentary procedure, the measure is expected to remain in effect for at least six months. With national elections scheduled for Oct. 27, the law could be extended further depending on the makeup of the next government.

The legislation was approved despite weeks of protests by IDF reservists, veterans and families of soldiers killed during the nearly three years of fighting that began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Knesset legal advisors and other legal officials also warned that the measure is likely to be challenged before the High Court of Justice, with petitions filed shortly after its passage.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has also warned in recent days that the Israeli military is on the verge of exhaustion after nearly 33 months of mobilization, which has seen the most intense period of action since the founding of the modern State of Israel. He and other IDF officers have been warning for over a year that the manpower shortages are straining the system beyond all limits and more soldiers are needed as soon as possible, with the Haredi population being the only possible source of that needed additional manpower.

Haredi leaders, however, have continued to reject compulsory military service for their students. Their position was reinforced by a Basic Law enacted this week recognizing Torah study as a core national value. Supporters say the measure protects the ultra-Orthodox community’s religious way of life, while critics argue it further entrenches military exemptions.

The debate spilled into the Knesset chamber during Tuesday’s vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the plenum shortly after arriving as lawmakers exchanged heated accusations. Earlier, Knesset Legal Advisor Sagit Afik urged members with relatives who could personally benefit from the legislation to disclose potential conflicts of interest before voting. The Haredi parties – Shas and United Torah Judaism – acknowledged that several of their lawmakers had family members who could be affected by the bill.

The measure also exposed divisions within the governing coalition. Likud party Knesset Members Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein voted against the bill, as did Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel of New Hope-United Right party. Following the vote, Haskel announced her resignation from her deputy ministerial post in protest.

Public opinion polls have consistently shown broad opposition to exempting Haredi men from military service, particularly as reservists continue to shoulder repeated deployments.

Stas Magerovski, an IDF reservist from Bat Yam who has spent more than 400 days on reserve duty over the past three years and served in both Gaza and Lebanon, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that the legislation reflects growing frustration among many reservists.

“This country is becoming so dysfunctional,” lamented Magerovski, who believes that Netanyahu has been in power too long.

“He should retire and give someone else a chance so that they can try to fix things, without giving so much away to the Haredim. It is very demoralizing for those of us who served so much time in the reserves to see the Haredim getting away with not serving at all. We feel like friars (suckers) and there’s a lot of anger but also a lot of despair.”

Magerovski added that some ultra-Orthodox leaders have argued they would rather leave Israel than accept compulsory military service.

“I say let them go! I’ll even help them pack up their stuff. I know many others who feel the same way. They should go, and so should Bibi. This country would be a much better place to live without them.”

Yossi Baum’s observations on an article which highlights the revealing trend that legal and economic sanctions have consistently produced lower enlistment among the Haredi population, while periods of cooperation or national crisis have been associated with substantially higher recruitment levels: