Israel’s Supreme Court, acting in its capacity as the High Court of Justice, on Wednesday unanimously ordered the state to produce an effective policy for tackling Haredi draft evasion within 45 days, including economic sanctions. The ruling came after the Degel HaTorah Party decided on Wednesday morning to green-light voting on a Haredi conscription bill.
Although the bill currently being deliberated aims to address the issue, the court has yet to weigh in on whether it succeeds. According to the court, the government’s plan must incorporate significant steps that involve criminal prosecution, as well as broad complementary actions in the economic and civil spheres.
“The state is not authorized to refrain from drafting yeshiva students, without a legislative arrangement that allows distinguishing between them and the rest of those obligated to draft,” the ruling states.
The court stressed that the government must cease granting economic benefits to draft evaders, stating, “As a rule, the continued granting of benefits given in direct or indirect connection to evasion of the draft duty cannot be allowed, for example those granted to a yeshiva student as such, when his presence in the yeshiva implies evasion of the draft duty.”
They justices noted that the inequality between the general public’s mandatory military service and the de facto blanket exemption enjoyed by Haredim was discriminatory. “This is all the more painful since Oct. 7,” they wrote, referring to the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
In response to the court’s ruling, a senior official in Agudat Yisrael called on the government to “pass a law regulating the status of yeshiva students immediately.” Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer told Army Radio, “The State of Israel needs soldiers and fighters, we need deeds and not wasting time. We will not agree to any unworthy law. It is expected to see practical actions like filling the Hashmonaim Brigade before advancing a law,” referring to the first ultra-Orthodox Israel Defense Forces brigade.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
