Knesset passes law banning arrests of Haredi draft dodgers, legitimizing ongoing non-enlistment

The Knesset passed a law 58-54 on Tuesday, temporarily banning the arrest and prosecution of ultra-Orthodox men evading military service until January 2027. This measure effectively legitimizes ongoing Haredi non-enlistment, despite the IDF's urgent need for 12,000 new recruits amid current conflicts. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called the proposal “inconceivable,” stating it was “clearly and unequivocally inconsistent with the IDF’s needs.”

• The law grants tens of thousands of Haredi draft evaders immunity from arrest and suspends ongoing criminal proceedings.
• Opposition parties and NGOs, including the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, immediately petitioned the High Court of Justice to overturn the law, citing concerns about equality and the burden on serving soldiers.
• Haredi MKs, such as United Torah Judaism's Meir Porush, warned that any court intervention would lead to “civil rebellion on a scale never before seen.”
• The vote occurred amidst a legislative rush before the Knesset dissolves, with several coalition lawmakers breaking ranks to oppose the contentious bill.