Members of the Israeli Knesset voted 63 to 57 in favor of extending the contentious draft law, which exempts ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as “Haredim,” from military service in the Israeli army, despite Defense Minister Yoav Galant’s opposition to the law.
Following the approval to extend the draft law, the proposed legislation will be presented to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for discussion before final approval in the second and third readings.
If the bill passes ultimately, it will reduce the draft exemption age for yeshiva (religious school) students to 21 for two years, then raise it to 22 for one year, eventually setting it at 23. Lowering the draft age aims to encourage Haredim and religious school students to integrate into the workforce at an earlier age rather than staying in religious schools until the current exemption age of 24.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation in the Israeli government unanimously approved the draft law on May 16, despite the government’s legal advisor, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, providing an opinion suggesting a legal obstacle, as the committee must first receive updated facts and a current position from the Ministry of Defense.
