Draft Law

Lack of IDF forces:

Will low profile soldiers be drafted to combat roles?

Government plans to exempt haredim from military service, while IDF considers drafting low profile soldiers to combat roles, despite lack of forces.

Pioneer:

IDF gets first haredi battalion commander

'I hope that one day young haredim will see me as a role model,' Major (res.) Yossi Levy, soon to become the first haredi battalion commander in the IDF, says.

Bennett:

'Don't pass budget allowing draft evasion during war'

Former PM calls on govt. not to pass budget allowing part of the country to avoid military service right after combat operations in Gaza resumed. 'Only when united can we win.'

Attorney General demands sanctions against draft dodgers

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara contacted the Legal Advisor of the Defense Minister and demanded the advancement of personal sanctions against draft dodgers.

Pain mixed with joy:

How a fallen hero's family celebrated Purim

Rachel Goldberg, wife of fallen soldier Avi Goldberg, talks about celebrating Purim despite the difficult pain of the loss and explains the significance behind the family's special costume.

Religious Zionism:

30% say disperse government, but don't exempt haredim

New Jewish People Policy Institute poll reveals majority of public believes that government's main motive in promoting draft law is coalition survival.

Defense Minister:

'One-sided draft notices are a failure'

Defense Minister Israel Katz criticized the intention of the IDF to send 14,000 additional recruitment orders to haredim by May.

IDF Confirms:

Draft target of 4800 haredim in one year cannot be met

The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee held a discussion on the haredi draft law today, evaluating economic incentives for recruiting yeshiva students into the IDF.

Agudat Yisrael MKs threaten:

'We will oppose the budget if the Draft Law isn’t passed'

Agudat Yisrael faction sends a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, making it clear that it will not vote in favor of the budget unless the Draft Law is enacted.

Rabbi David Yosef:

'Criticism is acceptable, but you need to choose your words'

Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef criticizes brother Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef for statement on IDF enlistment, telling him to 'choose words carefully.'

Haredi minister votes against funds for his community

In vote on coalition funds, all haredi ministers support funneling money to haredi community - except Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf. 'He's opposing budgets for the haredi community?'

Religious Affairs Minister:

If Goldknopf's rabbis told him to leave gov't - he should do it

Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli reveals 'near-complete coordination' between Shas, Degel Hatorah, says failure to make progress on Draft Law due to interference by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

New haredi brigade concludes first training cycle

The Hashmonaim Brigade is intended as a destination for 'God-fearing haredim' and includes a number of special regulations intended to preserve a haredi lifestyle while in uniform.

Culture Minister:

'We need a haredi corps'

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar suggests establishing a dedicated IDF corps for haredim amidst the political impasse around the conscription law.

Military police raid haredi neighborhood in Ashdod

MPs knocked on doors in the city in an effort to locate yeshiva students who had ignored repeated summonses to report for duty.

Haredim block main road after arrest of non-haredi draft dodger

Radical haredim from the Jerusalem Faction blocked Route 4 near Bnei Brak after police arrested a non-haredi draft dodger at Ben Gurion airport.

UTJ threatens to vote against budget

Chairman of United Torah Judaism, Yitzhak Goldknopf, sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that the state budget does not reflect their agreements.

Goldknopf's threat:

'This is the only way the government will last its term'

'Either we delay the Draft Law and hold elections in the summer, or we demand the Draft Law before the budget, and the government lasts its term.'

Knesset Speaker: 'Gaza will be a better place without the devil'

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana speaks at the 22nd Besheva and Arutz Sheva Jerusalem Conference, warning Iranian threat 'most significant and existential' to Israel and calling to expand IDF's ranks, including by bringing in haredi 'brothers and partners.'

Enlistment controversy:

Karliner Rebbe attacked with teargas

Extremists attacked car of Karlin-Stolin Rebbe, who they accused of encouraging haredi enlistment in the IDF, with teargas.

Rabbi Abergel: Draft haredim who are not studying Torah

Rabbi Haim Yosef David Abergel, head of a community in Netivot, calls on haredim who are not seriously learning Torah to enlist in the IDF's new haredi brigade.

Rabbi Medan to Rabbi Lando:

'They may learn the Torah, but they are not following it'

Rabbi Yaakov Medan of Har Etzion Yeshiva responded to Rabbi Dov Lando's views against Zionism and army service, emphasizing the need to appreciate soldiers while acknowledging divine action.

Minister Eli Cohen:

My hand will be cut off before I sit with Mansour Abbas

Energy Minister Eli Cohen says he won't enter coalition with Ra'am party in the future, Israel should disconnect Gaza's electricity and end humanitarian aid if hostages aren't released in deal's second stage.

Finance Min. calls for personal sanctions on haredi draft dodgers

The Ministry of Finance Budget Division announced that it is seeking tougher penalties against draft dodgers as only 1 in 6 haredim who received draft notices reported for duty.

'Pick a Side:'

Haredi newspaper criticizes haredi draft conference

The haredi newspaper 'Yated Ne'eman' launched a fierce critique against the Haredi Institute for Policy Studies after a conference in Jerusalem on drafting haredim into the IDF.

UTJ Leader:

'Rabbis will decide if budget can come before draft law'

MK Moshe Gafni stated that if PM Netanyahu asks to pass the budget before the draft law, the decision will be brought before the great Rabbis.

The haredi loophole for subsidy cancelations

Haredi families have found a method for yeshiva students to obtain eligibility for daycare subsidies despite not serving in the IDF.

Head of haredi yeshiva:

'Torah student contributes 1m times more than Chief of Staff'

'When you study Torah, you are part of the nation more than anyone else,' Rabbi Yehuda Amit, head of the haredi yeshiva in Kiryat Malachi, says.

Attorney General:

Daycare subsidies for yeshiva students ends this month

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructs Director General of Israel's Labor Ministry to end daycare subsidies for young yeshiva students who are required to serve in the IDF.

Hasidic newspaper criticizes draft law progress

The Hasidic newspaper Hamodia published a scathing editorial urging haredi parties to demand the passage of the draft law before approving the state budget.

Haredi students warned to check for warrants before travel

Following the arrest of a yeshiva student at Ben-Gurion Airport last week, the Council of Yeshivas has issued new and stringent guidelines regarding the travel of yeshiva students abroad.

Leading haredi rabbi:

'Zionist rabbis teach a twisted version of the Torah'

The dean of the Slabodka Yeshiva Rabbi Dov Lando attacked the religious Zionist community and claimed that it would be better if the Arabs would rule Israel.

First haredi yeshiva student arrested trying to leave Israel

Haredi yeshiva student attempting to fly out of Israel to avoid enlisting into the IDF is arrested at Ben Gurion International Airport, sent to prison at Beit Lid base.

Haredi MK: This is why UTJ won't join the Left

MK Yitzhak Pindrus explains why the haredi United Torah Judaism party will not join aleft-wing government. 'Our rabbis gave a clear instruction.'

Defense Minister's updated plan for haredi draft

According to new plan, 50% of 18-year-old haredim will draft within seven years.

Rabbi Yaakov Meidan:

'Strive for equality, haredi society is alienated'

Rabbi Yaakov Meidan, dean of Yeshivat Har Etzion, criticizes evasion of IDF service. 'The burden is unbearable; rabbis should give students the choice if to serve.'

'Government will remain stable'

Degel Hatorah rejects Deri and Smotrich's threats

Despite threats of elections if draft law is not passed within two months, Deputy Minister Uri Maklev says the government has overcome many challenges and will remain stable.

IDF to issue 14,000 draft notices to haredim

Despite recent protests and threats from haredi parties to the rest of the coalition, the IDF is planning to double the amount of draft notices sent to haredim in the near future.

Smotrich threatens: 'We'll dissolve the Knesset'

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich tells haredi parties he won't compromise on Draft Law, says he has no problem 'passing the budget and dissolving the Knesset.'

Haredi parties warn Smotrich: You'll bring down the government

Haredi party leaders slam Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, warn that if he brings down the Draft Law, the government will fall.

MK Evgeny Sova to Arutz Sheva:

'IDF should prepare for a law which drafts everyone'

MK Evgenny Sova speaks to Arutz Sheva-Israel News about what he heard from the Chief of Staff during a meeting of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and about the need to promote a law that drafts everyone into the army.

Deri's ultimatum:

'If there is no agreement on draft law, we will go for elections'

Shas Chairman, MK Aryeh Deri, gave the coalition a two-month ultimatum to finalize details of the draft law, otherwise 'we will go for elections.'

Jerusalem:

Haredi extremists block road to protest honoring haredi soldiers

Demonstrators throw stones and use pepper spray against police during protest against an event honoring haredi IDF soldiers at the venue.

Education Committee Chair:

'My son was summoned to the IDF, he will study Torah in jail'

MK Yossi Taieb (Shas) says his son received a draft notice and stressed that if the rabbis instruct him to be arrested - then that is what he'll do.

Edelstein announces:

'The committee I head will produce a true draft law'

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Yuli Edelstein, met with IDF soldiers and promised to push the draft law, 'I am leading the draft law for our combat soldiers.'

Haredi MKs:

'Wake up, you invented the draft quotas'

A heated discussion took place today at the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the haredi draft law.

Likud MK bashes haredi votes on hostage deal

MK Moshe Saada denounced the haredi ministers for leaving their votes on the hostage deal in writing rather than attend the cabinet meeting on Shabbat.

IDF to initiate criminal proceedings against haredi draft dodgers

IDF spokesperson says haredi men who receive draft notices and fail to report to their recruitment offices will be subject to criminal penalties.

'Nazi, go die in Gaza'

Haredi extremists riot outside IDF recruitment center

Police working to restore order after extremist haredim began rioting and blocking roads outside the Tel Hashomer Recruitment Center in central Israel.

Unacceptable!

Haredi press against impending draft law

Haredi newspapers criticize Defense Minister Katz on draft law outline: 'Empires and kingdoms stronger than the current government in Israel have not succeeded in preventing Jews from studying Torah.'

Defense Minister Katz:

'New law to include personal sanctions on draft dodgers'

Defense Minister Israel Katz today laid out the key points of the proposed haredi draft law, among them a list of economic penalties for failure to meet enlistment goals.

Bereaved mother marches for equal draft law

The mother of fallen soldier Saadia Yaakov Dery is marching from Mt. Herzl to the Knesset to demand equal service for all.

Haredi parties' ultimatum on Sa'ar-Levin judicial reform deal

The haredi political parties announced that they will only support the full judicial reform deal reached by the Foreign and Justice Ministers if the Draft Law enshrining haredi exemptions from military service is passed.

'Murderer of souls'

IDF general attacked in Bnei Brak restaurant, police intervene

Police had to intervene when a mob of haredi extremists attacked Maj. Gen. David Zini, who works to enlist haredim, as he sat in a restaurant in Bnei Brak.

Anti-conscription demonstrators block highway in central Israel

Members of the radical-haredi Jerusalem Faction blocked Route 4 near Bnei Brak to protest legislation to conscript IDF soldiers into the IDF.

Deputy Knesset Speaker:

'Everyone must serve, it's not about haredim'

MK Evgeny Sova criticizes the broad conscription law, labeling it as a 'draft evasion law' that disrespects soldiers and is irrelevant in light of the war.

UTJ Leader:

'Netanyahu knows that government will collapse without draft law'

UTJ leader Moshe Gafni commented that the coalition will collapse if legislation is not passed to resolve the issue of Yeshiva students and IDF service.

50 haredim enlist in the ‘Hahashmonaim’ Brigade

Approximately 50 recruits enlisted to the haredi ‘Hahashmonaim’ Brigade and will form the core of its first company.

Shas chief: Only the messiah can resolve Draft Law argument

Shas chief Aryeh Deri visits leading haredi rabbi, says Draft Law discussions are 'all talk.' 'We need to focus on Moshiach.'

Defense Minister rejects predecessor's statements on Draft Law

'No place for cynical and political use of a matter as ethical as enlistment in the IDF,' Defense Minister Israel Katz says, slamming former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.