The Knesset voted 58-54 on Tuesday to pass a coalition-backed law temporarily banning the arrest and prosecution of ultra-Orthodox men evading military service, and thereby legitimizing continued mass Haredi non-enlistment. In practice, the measure will halt most Haredi enlistment to the IDF for at least the next few months.

The law — part of a last-minute legislative blitz by the government that is centered around Haredi demands to ensure blanket draft exemptions for yeshiva students — grants tens of thousands of Haredi draft evaders immunity from arrest until late January 2027, and extends that protection to those who become eligible for military service after it takes effect, effectively eliminating the threat of arrest and making it easier to refuse to enlist during that period. It also suspends ongoing criminal proceedings against those already facing enforcement measures.

On Monday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called the proposal “inconceivable,” saying it was “clearly and unequivocally inconsistent with the IDF’s needs” and amounted to “providing mass exemptions from prosecution.” There are roughly 72,000 Haredi men who were liable to arrest until today, according to figures released in May by the attorney general.

New Hope MK and Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel resigned in protest after the vote, and opposition parties and NGOs immediately petitioned the High Court of Justice to overturn the law, accusing the government of advancing “mass Haredi draft evasion” while “trampling the principle of equality in bearing the burden.” Haredi MKs, meanwhile, warned that any attempt by the courts to intervene would spark mass civil unrest.

The vote came after a brief coalition standoff over the bill’s place on the agenda, as well as overnight and day-long speeches and opposition filibustering, including 1,748 reservations, and amid a flurry of legislation that must be completed before the Knesset dissolves on Friday ahead of the October 27 election.

Amid the legislative rush and the jockeying among coalition partners to get their favored bills on the agenda, Knesset legal advisers warned that there were several instances of improper Finance Committee votes overnight and said those decisions would be considered invalid. Also, a major public transportation reform was reportedly dropped amid ultra-Orthodox opposition and horse-trading between the parties.

Several coalition lawmakers broke ranks to oppose the contentious bill, including Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon, Haskel, and Likud MKs Yuli Edelstein and Dan Illouz, both of whom recently announced they were leaving the party over the issue.

Nevertheless, the law passed, prompting Haskel to resign.

“It is a law that harms those who serve and the security of the state. It harms those who have served the state for three years and paid a heavy price. The law passed and that is why I have decided to resign from my position in the government. I can no longer stand by this,” she said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended part of the debate, drawing cries of “Shame!” and “Leave!” from opposition lawmakers. He then left before the vote and did not participate. Defense Minister Israel Katz’s vote in favor likewise prompted chants of “Shame!” from the opposition.

Netanyahu was branded a “traitor” by an opposition MK when his name was called in his absence.

Opposition leaders continued lobbying coalition lawmakers until the final moments before the vote. According to Channel 12, Yisrael Beytenu party chairman Avigdor Liberman texted several Likud MKs: “You have nothing to lose. For four years, you helped Netanyahu survive. Now help the IDF.”

The law has drawn fierce opposition from the IDF, reservists, opposition lawmakers, Knesset legal advisers and much of the public.

Minutes after the law passed, both the Movement for Quality Government in Israel and the opposition Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beytenu parties filed petitions to the High Court of Justice against the law.

“A law that grants draft dodgers immunity from arrest is not the modest, temporary emergency measure it is being portrayed as,” the movement said, announcing the submission of its petition. “Rather, it is an attempt to enshrine in legislation a........

© The Times of Israel