A new bill has been proposed that, if passed into law, would revoke funding from any institution which incites against soldiers and the IDF, or calls on students to evade the draft, rather than seek legal deferments from service.
According to Army Radio, the proposed law would allow the Finance Minister, together with the Justice Minister and Education Minister, to "decide that a religious institution will not be considered a public institution with regards to the receiving funding....if the head of the institution does one of the following: a) knowingly publicizes a call to [illegally] evade the draft; b) knowingly publicizes a call to persecute, humiliate, or commit acts of violence against any sector of the public....or towards those who serve in the IDF."
Last week, anti-draft protesters from the "Jerusalem Faction" shut down a major Jerusalem intersection and blocked sections of the city's light rail train. They also held a "day of rage" over the IDF's mandatory draft.
All Israelis must register with the IDF by the age of 18. Those who are full time yeshiva students and request a deferment are accorded one and can renew it without difficulty. The Jerusalem Faction, however, has encouraged members not to cooperate with draft officials in any capacity, even to obtain draft deferments.
In March, extremists from the Jerusalem Faction hung effigies of haredi soldiers, and in June, Lag Ba'omer celebrations included burning an effigy of an IDF soldier.