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Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Knesset debates enshrining Torah study as Basic Law, freeze on arrests of draft evaders
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
The Knesset is debating two contentious bills today promoted by ultra-Orthodox parties: a proposed Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the State of Israel, and a temporary order freezing arrests and other enforcement measures against Haredi draft evaders.
The measures form part of the Haredi parties’ broader push to preserve mass exemptions for yeshiva students from military service by elevating the status of Torah study, while shielding current draft evaders from criminal enforcement.
The House Committee will begin voting today on elements of the Basic Law for Torah Study ahead of an expected vote in its first reading in the plenum tomorrow. Absent a constitution, Basic Laws in Israel have the highest legal status in the country.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will begin debating the temporary order to freeze for 90 days arrests, investigations, and other enforcement measures against full-time yeshiva students eligible for military service.
Both bills have drawn widespread criticism from the opposition, from the coalition itself and from Knesset legal advisers, who have argued that it is impossible to properly deliberate a Basic Law of such significance before the Knesset recesses in the coming weeks ahead of upcoming October elections.
In a legal opinion submitted to lawmakers yesterday, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s legal adviser warned that the temporary order goes far beyond freezing arrests, arguing that the proposal amounts to a “mini draft law,” serves as an “amnesty clause” for both current and future yeshiva students in place of comprehensive enlistment legislation, and creates broad exemptions without a functioning oversight mechanism.
The legislative push comes amid reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached an agreement with Shas and United Torah Judaism to advance key Haredi legislative priorities in exchange for supporting coalition initiatives, although both parties have denied such a deal exists.
The coalition is racing to pass legislation before the Knesset enters its pre-election recess on July 16, after a Haredi boycott effectively froze coalition legislation for the last several weeks.
The Times of Israel Community.