UTJ chief denies agreeing to set aside conscription bill to pass budget

By Sam Sokol 11 March 2026, 5:34 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"

United Torah Judaism party leader Yitzhak Goldknopf attends a 40-signature debate at the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem, January 5, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Following Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement on Tuesday evening announcing that they were putting aside controversial legislation to largely exempt members of Haredi communities from mandatory military enlistment, the head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party denies having any part in the decision.

“In light of Finance Minister Smotrich’s remarks, it should be clarified: We never asked to withdraw the bill for regulating the status of Torah students, which is intended to provide a clear and organized solution for those studying Torah and to allow their continued studies without sanctions,” says Yitzhak Goldknopf.

Smotrich on Tuesday evening also said he was pulling back on several proposed economic reforms amid the Iran war in order to streamline efforts to pass the 2026 state budget — which is set to significantly boost defense spending.