Full Breakdown
Israel’s Knesset Passes Controversial Laws Exempting Ultra-Orthodox Men from Military Service
7/17/2026, 8:12:59 PM
Core Legislative Action
In a marathon session on Monday and Tuesday, July 13-14 2026, the 120-member Knesset approved two intertwined measures. The “Basic Law: Torah Study” was adopted in its final readings by a vote of 63-52, declaring Torah study a “foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.” In a separate vote, lawmakers passed a temporary freeze on arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, 58-54. Both bills were pushed by the Haredi parties as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition strategy ahead of the October 27 elections. Netanyahu did not attend the vote; several Likud MKs, including Dan Illouz, publicly opposed the measures.
Background & Context
Exemptions for yeshiva students date to Israel’s founding in 1948, when a small group of scholars sought state support for Torah study after the Holocaust. Over the ensuing three-year war period (Gaza, Lebanon, Iran) the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has faced severe manpower shortages, prompting renewed calls to end the de-facto exemption. The coalition’s “legislative blitz” before the summer recess sought to cement the exemption legally while also extending regular service to 32 months.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men are eligible for service but remain unenlisted.
- Each year about 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men turn 18; fewer than 10 percent enlist.
- The IDF has warned it needs 12,000 new recruits, including 8,000 combat soldiers.
- Polls released after the votes show Likud’s projected seats falling from 25-26 to 21-22, while Shas drops from 11 to 7.
Why It Matters
The laws have immediate political repercussions: senior Likud figures such as Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer announced he will not run in the upcoming election; former Foreign Affairs Committee chair Yuli Edelstein and Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel resigned. Local leaders—including Federation of Local Authorities head Haim Bibas—signed a letter calling the legislation “a severe blow to national resilience.” The High Court of Justice froze implementation within 24 hours, leaving the coalition to bear the political cost without any operational benefit.
Official Statements & Responses
- IDF Chief of Staff Lt-Gen Eyal Zamir wrote that the freeze “would be party to granting mass exemptions from prosecution” and warned it could jeopardize recruitment.
- Opposition leader Yair Lapid labeled the Torah-Study law “an utter desecration of God’s name” and “spitting in the face” of soldiers.
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich argued the government is “putting aside controversial issues that are not suitable for wartime.”
- United Torah Judaism lawmaker Moshe Gafni hailed the Basic Law as a historic affirmation of the Torah’s role in preserving the Jewish people.
Criticism & Opposition
Opposition parties and civil groups have pledged to repeal the measures after the elections. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the coalition “the most anti-Zionist government in the history of the State of Israel,” while Yisrael Beytenu leader Avidgor Liberman said the law “betrays IDF soldiers.” The “Reservists’ Wives Forum” warned the law will “deepen the inequality even further.”
On-the-Ground Reports
The “National Religious Reservists Forum” leader Gilad Rand described personal exhaustion from repeated reserve rotations, underscoring the strain on soldiers who continue to serve while exemptions expand.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the number of ultra-Orthodox volunteers: one report cites 1,000 volunteers for military or civilian service, while another emphasizes that less than 10 percent of the 13,000 annual cohort enlist. Additionally, while the final wording of the Basic Law removed explicit equivalence between Torah study and military service, analysts note the substantive effect remains unchanged.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is inconceivable that the military system under my command, which demands unprecedented sacrifice from its personnel, would be party to granting mass exemptions from prosecution,” — Eyal Zamir, IDF Chief of Staff
- “For thousands of years, Torah study was the force that preserved the Jewish people throughout their diaspora and all generations,” — Moshe Gafni, United Torah Judaism lawmaker
- “This is a deliberate and conscious blow to the IDF throughout the war and up to this day.” — Naftali Bennett, former Prime Minister
- “We are now putting aside controversial issues that are not suitable for wartime,” — Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister
- “The “Reservists’ Wives Forum” said in a statement that the law will “deepen the inequality even further.” — Reservists’ Wives Forum
What’s Next
The High Court of Justice will hold a hearing on an interim injunction to determine whether the Basic Law and the arrest-freeze can be struck down. Both measures remain suspended pending that decision. The October 27 parliamentary election will serve as a de-facto referendum on the coalition’s Haredi-backed agenda, with opposition leaders promising to repeal the laws if they assume power.
