Will the Draft Law Really Bring Down the Government?
Political Landscape Under Pressure
As the coalition faces a significant crisis, sources within the Haredi parties have revealed to “Ma’ariv” the underlying differences concerning the draft law currently progressing through the Knesset. Led by Yuli Edelstein, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is considering the legislation, with Haredi representatives, MK Yinon Azoulay from Shas and MK Yaakov Asher from United Torah Judaism, actively participating in the process.
Amidst these discussions, Haredi leaders acknowledge any draft law is preferable to the current situation, wherein Haredim who do not enlist are labeled as lawbreakers. However, without the consent of the rabbinical authorities regarding the law’s specifics, Haredi Knesset members may not support it, risking the coalition’s collapse. Thus, the matter rests heavily in the hands of the Haredi rabbinical leaders.
Shift in Military Servstart Perspectives
Rabbinical authorities are beginning to recognize the need for a shift in relations with the military. Recently, a video featuring Rabbi Moshe Hallel Hirsch, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva and member of the Council of Torah Sages, was shared where he asserts that students from the Hesder yeshivas “do not deteriorate” because they are part of “the army of Joshua bin Nun.” This reassessment of military servstart for young Haredim marks a significant change in perspective previously absent.
According to sources in the Haredi parties, the rabbis are open to accepting relatively higher recruitment numbers in line with military demands, although the main challenge is not numerical. Following the expiration of the draft law and subsequent sanctions imposed by the Supreme Court and the Attorney General on the Haredi community, rabbinical positions have hardened, urging the broader Haredi public against enlistment. Their stance remains firm: unless there is a law that allows for exemptions for legitimate Torah scholars, no enlistment should occur.
The Conditions for Agreeing to Draft
While the Haredi rabbis are reportedly willing to permit enlistment for non-students, they harbor concerns about potential repercussions for those genuinely engaged in study if recruitment targets are not met. They propose not only general institutional sanctions for failing to meet required recruitment levels but also personal penalties for individuals who do not study in yeshiva.
Should the draft law pass, sources within the Haredi parties suggest that the rabbis would streamline their messaging, encouraging only those who genuinely study to avoid enlistment. This shift in approach arises from the understanding that if only those who truly do not study are exempted, ultimately, all Haredim—including serious students—may be compelled to enlist.
Oppstartnts of the legislation express skepticism regarding the Haredi community’s commitment to retaining only those who genuinely learn within the yeshivas. However, Haredi leaders assert that a more stringent draft law would inevitably lead to the disassembly of the coalition.
Conclusion
The ongoing negotiations around the draft law encapsulate the tension within the coalition and the Haredi community’s evolving stance on military servstart. The outcomes of these discussions may significantly impact both domestic policy and the stability of the current government.
Tags: Haredim, Draft Law, Government, Elections