Over 70 Israeli mayors and council leaders filed a formal petition on Wednesday condemning legislation that grants draft exemptions to ultra-Orthodox (haredi) citizens. The group, representing a broad cross-section of local government, argues the measure undermines national resilience and social cohesion during a period of significant security challenges for the state.
Local Leadership Opposition to Draft Legislation
The petition, signed by officials including Haim Bibas, mayor of Modi’in and chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities, and Idan Greenbaum, head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, challenges the state’s approach to military service. Other signatories include Shay Hajaj, head of the Merhavim Regional Council and chairman of the Federation of Regional Councils, along with the mayors of Herzliya, Ramat Hasharon, and Kfar Saba.
The signatories acknowledge the importance of Torah study but argue it cannot supersede the responsibility to defend the country. “Many of our residents are proving that it is possible to both study Torah and serve the state in the IDF and the security forces,” the petition stated. The leaders characterized the recently approved law as a “serious blow to national resilience” that should not have been introduced given current and future security needs.
Legislative Context and IDF Manpower Shortages
The petition follows a narrow Knesset vote last week, where the bill passed with 58 lawmakers in favor and 54 against. The legislation is designed to temporarily freeze the arrest of haredi draft evaders for at least six months. This move occurred despite warnings from legal experts who characterized the bill as unbalanced and unlikely to increase enlistment rates within the haredi community.
High Court Intervention and Potential Next Steps
The legal status of the bill remains uncertain following intervention by the High Court of Justice. The day after the Knesset vote, Justice Ofer Grosskopf issued a provisional order that suspends the law’s entry into force until further notice. Furthermore, the Court issued a conditional order, requiring both the government and the Knesset to provide a formal justification for why the legislation should not be struck down entirely.
Given the court’s provisional order, the implementation of the arrest freeze is currently on hold. The government and the Knesset are now required to respond to the High Court’s conditional order.
Reporting contributed by Keshet Neev and Sarah Ben-Nun.
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