Levin, Smotrich deny weighing cutting funding to yeshivas over links to draft dodgers

By Sam Sokol 14 December 2025, 10:04 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Justice Minister Yariv Levin attend a meeting on the planned state budget vote, in the Israeli parliament on May 23, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)

Spokespeople for Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich deny that the two cabinet officials are involved in discussion about cutting off all funding to ultra-Orthodox yeshivas until it can be conclusively determined that taxpayer money is not going to draft evaders.

Last Thursday, national broadcaster Kan reported that the two ministries were concerned that funds allocated to these yeshivas were going toward evaders, despite last year’s court ruling prohibiting this.

In June 2024, the High Court issued a ruling ordering the government to start conscripting Haredi men. Since then, yeshivas harboring draft dodgers have seen their budgets slashed, draft refusers have lost access to daycare subsidies for their children and other benefits, and the IDF has begun arresting small numbers of evaders, including some attempting to leave the country.

Last month, the court gave the gave the government 45 days to draw up effective enforcement measures, including criminal proceedings, against ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who have refused to comply with IDF conscription orders.

Asked for comment, a spokesman for Levin says that the minister is “not involved,” while a spokesman for Smotrich says he “doesn’t know of anything like that.”

A spokesperson for the Finance Ministry recommends contacting the Justice Ministry, stating “it’s more on their end,” indicating that such discussions may actually be taking place.

Speaking with The Times of Israel, an opposition member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which is currently debating a coalition bill which would exempt yeshiva students from military conscription, says that there are such discussions taking place.