The Knesset plenum convened Monday evening to debate and vote on the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, one of the flagship measures being advanced by the haredi parties in the final days of the 25th Knesset. The vote passed by a vote of 63-52.
The legislation is part of agreements reached between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the coalition's haredi parties in an effort to pass key bills before the Knesset is dissolved. Under the coalition's plan, the Torah Study Basic Law and the Defectors Law are being prioritized, with legislation concerning the government's legal adviser and communications market reforms expected to follow.
As part of a compromise, the proposal was significantly narrowed before being brought to the plenum. Rather than including broader provisions contained in the original draft, the revised version is limited to declaring that Torah study is a fundamental value of the State of Israel - but not explicitly equated to military service.
Despite the changes, legal officials have argued that the bill's practical impact remains largely unchanged. During committee discussions, the deputy Attorney General said the legislation could still broaden the interpretive tools available to courts in future legal proceedings, even without the provision that was removed.
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman called it “a law that betrays IDF soldiers." He added, “In the next government, we will repeal this law, strengthen the IDF, and take care of those who serve, not those who evade service."
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri welcomed the approval: “For the first time, the Jewish state recognizes the supreme value of the holy Torah and the status of those who study it."
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel has filed a petition with the Supreme Court against the law, claiming that the law is intended to enshrine military service exemptions in a Basic Law and undermine the principle of equal burden-sharing.
The movement stated that it will work to have the law overturned and to ensure equal enforcement of the Defense Service Law.