From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
‘Likud works for draft dodgers’: Yesh Atid fumes as gov’t approves funds for Haredi education system, discusses draft exemptions
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.
Yesh Atid slams the government for holding Knesset hearings today regarding the advancement of a draft exemption bill for yeshiva students while allocating additional budget funding to the ultra-Orthodox sector.
“The Likud-led coalition decided to convene two ’emergency hearings’ today during the Knesset recess,” the statement says. “One to push forward their mass ultra-Orthodox draft evasion bill, and another to transfer 177 million NIS ($51 million) to ultra-Orthodox education systems.”
The Knesset Finance Committee voted today to allocate funding mainly to the ultra-Orthodox community to implement agreements made with Haredi Knesset parties.
At the same time, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is convening to advance a draft exemption law for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, led by newly appointed chair MK Boaz Bismuth, who replaced MK Yuli Edelstein, who was ousted due to his failure to advance the law.
“Likud works for draft dodgers,” the statement continues.
Linking the two issues, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid says: “The Finance Committee just transferred NIS 177 million of our money to ultra-Orthodox summer camps, where they [teach] children that they are under no circumstances to serve in the army.”
The Times of Israel Community.