Hareidi mouthpeice Yated Ne’eman denies all reports of a compromise between the state and Haredi Torah Authority Rabbi Aharon Leib Steineman on the issue of the draft of Yeshiva students.

The announcement, signed by Rabbi Steineman states, “All we have is Torah study. The prime time for this is during youth, when comprehension of Torah is most successful. Draft into the army threatens the spiritual well-being of the student with unnecessary exposure to secularity.”

Hareidi leadership stresses, nonetheless, that anyone who is not immersed in Torah study must be drafted.