Opposition leaders urge coalition MKs to reject bills backed by Haredim

By Ariela Karmel

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13 July 2026, 10:07 pm

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Ariela 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.

Left to right: Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman. (Composite photo; credits: Flash90)

Opposition leaders issue a rare joint statement calling on coalition lawmakers to vote against controversial legislation meant to benefit Haredi parties that they say will undermine the military during wartime.

In a legislative blitz this week, the coalition is aiming to pass a raft of measures backed by Shas and United Torah Judaism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Haredi coalition partners. Among the bills is one that would freeze enforcement of IDF conscription orders for Haredi men for seven months, and another, a proposed quasi-constitutional Basic Law, that would enshrine Torah study as a national value of Israel.

Earlier today, IDF Chief Eyal Zamir sent a letter warning against the seven-month freeze.

The legislation is part of a broader effort to preserve blanket military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.

“We call on coalition members to act responsibly and not vote in favor of seriously harming the IDF during a war, in defiance of the IDF chief of staff’s dramatic warning,” the statement reads.

“Those who support the draft-evasion law will forever bear the shame of that vote in the eyes of the citizens of Israel who serve and work,” the opposition leaders add.

The statement is signed by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, Yashar chair Gadi Eisenkot, former prime minister Naftali Bennett who leads the Together list, Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman, Democrats chairman Yair Golan, and former Blue and White MK Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists party.

Notably absent is Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party, which has broken with the rest of the opposition by refusing to rule out joining a future government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Gantz has also declined to explicitly state whether he would serve in a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties.

But Gantz issues his own statement against the proposed Basic Law, saying it harms the value of mutual responsibility in Israel.

“Torah study is an important and central value for the Jewish people, but the State of Israel must ensure that the value of service and defending our shared home will be protected,” wrote Gantz, a former IDF chief and defense minister. “There are no rights without responsibility, and no responsibility is placed only on part of the public.”