Supreme Court Justice Ofer Grosskopf on Wednesday afternoon issued a temporary injunction suspending the implementation of the newly-passed law halting the arrest of haredi draft evaders.
"In light of this Court's longstanding rulings on the enlistment of yeshiva students, the implications of freezing arrest, investigation, and enforcement proceedings with respect to only certain segments of the population, and the substantial arguments raised by the petitioners in the various petitions challenging the law's validity, a conditional order is hereby issued instructing the respondents to explain why the law should not be struck down," Grosskopf wrote.
In his ruling, Grosskopf said that the petitions will be heard as soon as possible before an expanded panel to be appointed by the President of the Supreme Court.
Several petitions have been filed against the law, including those submitted by the Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties.
MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) slammed the Supreme Court's decision, claiming that it is not legal, and that any soldier or police officer who participates in arresting haredi draft-evaders will be acting in violation of the law.
On Tuesday, the Knesset plenum approved legislation to halt the arrests of haredi draft dodgers in its second and third readings with a majority of 58 votes against 54.
Four members of the coalition, Yuli Edelstein (Likud), Sharren Haskel (Likud), Dan Illouz (Likud), and Moshe Solomon (Religious Zionists), voted against the. Minister Ofir Sofer and MK Michal Woldiger (Religious Zionists) were absent from the vote.
Minister Shlomo Karhi (Likud) presented the bill and clashed with opposition members from the podium.
Haredi members of the Knesset were required during the debate to disclose that members of their families could potentially be affected by the outcome of the vote.