The Religious Zionist Party published a statement on Wednesday in which it made clear that it would not support a draft bill that is merely symbolic and refuted statements of support published by the haredi Degel Hatorah faction.
"Press releases are not a plan of action, not by Degel Hatorah and not by elements in the coalition," the party stated. "Only a bill that would change the current reality and draft haredim is a bill that we would pass. The State of Israel needs more soldiers. Period."
The Degel Hatorah faction, which represents the Lithuanian (non-Hassidic) haredi community, announced on Wednesday morning that Rabbi Dov Lando and Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch authorized them to proceed with advancing the Draft Bill in the Knesset committees.
This being said, it was noted that the final decision will be made only after the bill is submitted in its entirety and is brought to the rabbis for further review.
The current version of the bill, which is being advanced by Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth, has been subject to criticism by those who claim that it is lenient compared to the previous version advanced by MK Yuli Edelstein.
The Agudat Israel faction, which represents the hassidim, also voiced reservations about the bill. The faction chairman, MK Yitzhak Goldknopf, clarified: “I have not yet received the draft of the bill, and therefore it has not been brought before the Council of Torah Sages. It is made absolutely clear: Agudat Yisrael will not support any bill that includes sanctions or any harm to the status and rights of Torah students as practiced until today.”