Knesset delays haredi draft bill
Bill will not be completed by summer recess, Knesset says, bringing into question draft of thousands haredim set to enlist in August
The Knesset informed the High Court of Justice Monday that as expected, the legislative process of the haredi draft bill will not be completed during the Knesset's summer session, thereby calling into question the recruitment of thousands of yeshiva students who are scheduled to enlist in August.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has said in the past that if the law were not approved by the summer recess, he will consider calling off the draft orders of those called to enlist in August.
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According to the Knesset, due to the legal complexity and public sensitivity of the issue, "it is unlikely to expect, nor will it be appropriate that the Knesset complete the legislative process on this complex issue within the short duration of time it has."
Last week, the State Prosecution reported that "The State intends to do the best it can to complete the legislative process before the Knesset breaks for summer recess in August 5."
The parliamentary legal division added that seeing as the budget and the Arrangements Law are currently in the process of formulation and require "legislative resources," the Knesset is not likely to complete the haredi draft law before the recess.
Rabbi Uri Regev, with the Hiddush Association for Religious Freedom and Equality said a postponement will hopefully allow the cabinet to reconsider the bill and insert changes to the law, as he said that currently the bill is rife with inequalities and must be amended.
Meretz Chairwoman Zahava Gal-On also said she was against the bill, noting it had "no equality and no true share of the burden."
Nevertheless, as the bill was brought before the Knesset for first reading, Minister Yaakov Peri (Yesh Atid ) said that the bill represented "no less than a national economic and social purpose, and the change begins today.
"The era in which 50% of every age group does not serve the country and carry the responsibility on the Israeli economy is over. The era of distinguishing Jewish secular blood from Jewish haredi blood is over, as our enemies do not make that distinction," Peri added.
Earlier in July, the Defense Ministry stated that it is considering postponing the draft of the thousands of yeshiva students who were issued conscription orders, seeing as the draft bill can "radically change the legal status of haredim."
"A policy by which these students are drafted is at this point incongruent with the bill and might even jeopardize governmental efforts to regulate the issue," the statement said.
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