Full Breakdown
Knesset Advances Controversial Basic Law Enshrining Torah Study
7/2/2026, 8:33:34 PM
First Reading of the Basic Law: Torah Study
On Wednesday the Knesset plenum voted 63-53 to advance the Basic Law: Torah Study to a second reading. The measure, sponsored by United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni and fellow Haredi MK Yaakov Asher, seeks to recognize Torah study as a “fundamental value” in Israel’s quasi-constitutional framework. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the session and voted in favor, while four coalition MKs—Likud’s Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein, National Right’s Sharren Haskel and Religious Zionist Moshe Solomon—opposed the bill.
Legislative Background & Context
Israel lacks a formal constitution; instead, a series of Basic Laws holds the highest legal status. A 2024 High Court of Justice ruling ordered the government to revoke benefits for Haredi draft evaders and to enforce conscription, prompting the current push to embed Torah study in law. The bill is part of a broader Haredi legislative agenda that also includes a temporary freeze on arrests of draft-evading yeshiva students.
Key Figures and Political Alignments
- Supporters: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, United Torah Judaism (Moshe Gafni, Yaakov Asher), Shas (Arye Deri).
- Coalition dissenters: Likud MKs Dan Illouz, Yuli Edelstein; National Right MK Sharren Haskel; Religious Zionist MK Moshe Solomon.
- Opposition leaders: Together party head Naftali Bennett, Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot, Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman, Yesh Atid MK Moshe Turpaz.
Data and Statistics
- Vote margin: 63 in favor, 53 against.
- IDF manpower gap: officials repeatedly cite a need for 12,000-20,000 additional soldiers.
- Approximately 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men (ages 18-24) remain eligible for service but have not enlisted.
- The High Court ordered revocation of key financial benefits for draft evaders; 90 % of those arrested subsequently report for service, according to IDF data.
Official Statements & Responses
Netanyahu told Haredi leaders that he would “work to advance” their legislative priorities. Deputy Attorney-General Avital Sompolinsky warned the House Committee that “it’s impossible to move to a first reading before answering the question of what the purpose of the law is.” IDF Chief of Staff Lt-Gen Eyal Zamir warned the army could “collapse” without a solution to the shortage. Brig. Gen. Shai Tayeb emphasized that “enforcement measures, including arrests, are part of our ability to implement the Security Service Law.” Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs clarified that the bill does not alter the legal obligation to enlist but merely suspends criminal proceedings temporarily.
Criticism & Opposition
Opponents argue the law creates a “constitutional shield” for draft evaders. Naftali Bennett pledged to repeal the legislation immediately if his party forms the next government, calling it a “political cover for neglecting the mission of defending the state.” Dan Illouz labeled the proposal “Basic Law: Torah Desecration,” warning that “the complete submission to the dictates of the ultra-Orthodox will lead us to a crash at the ballot box.” The Movement for Quality Government announced it will file a petition to the High Court to strike the bill down.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Legal advisers note that the bill’s purpose remains “unclear,” and the wording no longer equates Torah study with military service, yet critics contend the language still implicitly protects draft evaders. The Attorney General’s office and Knesset legal advisers have flagged unresolved constitutional questions, including how the law balances “fundamental values” without defining them.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Gafni told the plenum ahead of the vote that "I do not believe there is a single member of the Knesset, whether Jewish or non-Jewish, who, if they set politics aside, would oppose this.” — Moshe Gafni, United Torah Judaism MK
- “bought the support of the ultra-Orthodox parties for his political reforms through legislation, and the price is an attempt to enshrine draft evasion in the constitution.” — Movement for Quality Government spokesperson
- “The law will disappear, but the stigma will remain on the unfortunate MKs who supported it,” — Naftali Bennett, Together party leader
- “The Basic Law does not speak [explicitly] about the yeshiva world, or about the ultra-Orthodox sector… all that remains is a vague and general reference to Torah study as an important value that must be balanced against other, unknown fundamental values.” — Deputy Attorney-General Avital Sompolinsky
- “Torah study is what has preserved us throughout the entire history of the Jewish people, and now, in the Jewish state as well, Torah study will receive the status it deserves,” — Moshe Gafni, United Torah Judaism MK
- “This is a cynical attempt to rush through a Basic Law that would grant Torah scholars a special status,” — Moshe Turpaz, Yesh Atid MK
What’s Next
The bill must survive two additional readings before becoming law and faces likely High Court challenges. Coalition leaders aim to finalize the legislation before the Knesset recess on July 16 and the upcoming national elections slated for late October. Opposition parties have pledged to repeal the law if they form the next government.
