New bills aim to formalize haredi military exemptions and pause arrests
Lawmakers introduced two legislative proposals to defer military service for yeshiva students until age 26 and suspend criminal proceedings for one year.
By Larissa Bell ·
Two new bills were introduced at the start of the new Knesset session to address the military service status of haredi yeshiva students. The first proposal seeks to allow students to defer their military service until they reach the age of 26. The second bill is a temporary measure designed to immediately suspend arrests, investigations, and criminal enforcement proceedings against eligible students for a period of one year.
Under the terms of the first bill, the defense minister would be authorized to grant deferments to yeshiva students who maintain a rigorous study schedule. To qualify, students must engage in religious studies for at least 45 hours per week at a yeshiva or 40 hours per week at a kollel. Each deferment would be valid for up to one year and could be renewed annually until the student turns 26. Upon reaching that age, the defense minister would grant the student a full exemption from mandatory military service.
The legislation also includes transitional provisions intended to retroactively regulate the status of students during the period since the previous legal framework expired. According to these provisions, students who met the study requirements before the new law takes effect would not face prosecution for failing to report for military service. If legal proceedings had already begun or a judgment had been issued, the proceedings or the enforcement of the judgment would be halted immediately.
The proposal further allows yeshiva students to apply for military service deferments even if they had not completed the registration process during the period when no legal framework was in place. The bill's explanatory notes argue that arrangements governing the status of yeshiva students have been part of the state's system since its establishment. The sponsors seek to legally recognize Torah study as a central value, asserting that the state has a moral and historical obligation to allow individuals to dedicate their lives to this way of life.
Porush and Stark also introduced the second bill, known as the Arrest Suspension Law. This proposal is framed as a temporary measure lasting one year, intended to halt enforcement actions until comprehensive legislation regulating the students' status is enacted. Under this bill, authorities would be prohibited from initiating enforcement proceedings under the Defense Service Law or the Military Justice Law against yeshiva students who were required to report for service on or after July 1, 2023.
To qualify for the suspension, students must declare that they study at least 45 hours a week at a yeshiva or 40 hours a week at a kollel and that they do not engage in any other occupation. The explanatory notes for this bill describe the circumstances surrounding its introduction as a Jewish and social emergency. The sponsors argue that the current legal situation has fueled unrest and deepened divisions within society, and that suspending enforcement would help ease tensions while lawmakers work toward a permanent arrangement.
Porush's office stated that the decision to submit both bills at the start of the new Knesset was intended to make the regulation of yeshiva students' status a top parliamentary priority. The office added that the legislation seeks to remove the threat of arrests and sanctions against yeshiva students, allowing them to continue their studies without the burden of pending legal actions.
