Leaders of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties - Shas and United Torah Judaism - visited arrested haredi draft evaders held in military prison on Sunday, expressing support for them and calling for their release amid the IDF’s severe manpower shortage.
Shas Party leader Arye Deri vowed during the visit that legislation would soon be passed to establish Torah study as a Basic Law, in a highly controversial move that would further encourage draft exemptions for haredi men.
The visit was made to the Neve Tzedek Military Prison, and Deri was accompanied by other lawmakers from his party, including MK Michael Malkieli and Haim Biton. Shas noted that Deri had met with numerous draft evaders during the trip and handed out books to them.
Shas stated that Deri “sought to encourage the detainees and emphasized that the entire Shas movement stands behind them, supports them, and is working with all its strength to secure their swift release and the regulation of their status.”
Deri also slammed Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, claiming outside the prison that she was “sabotaging” legislation aiding draft evaders.
United Torah Judaism leader MK Yitzhak Goldknopf made his own separate trip to the prison, where he was filmed saying that it “was difficult for him to see” the condition of the draft evaders.
Haredi party leaders have continuously pushed for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition to advance legislation that would not increase haredi enlistment.
IDF could collapse without manpower shortage solution
The IDF has repeatedly warned of an urgent manpower shortage, particularly after more than two years of war.
In March, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF could soon collapse if there is no solution to the manpower shortage.
The move to add Torah study to Basic Law is expected to be brought to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation for a government green light on Tuesday, after the meeting scheduled for Sunday on the topic was canceled.
Chairman of the haredi Degel HaTorah faction, MK Moshe Gafni, criticized the ministerial meeting being canceled, saying he “demanded that it be convened as soon as possible."
Gafni called for the legislation to be brought to a vote in the Knesset plenum in its preliminary reading as early as Wednesday.
Torah study incorporation into Basic Law part of deal ahead of Knesset dissolution
The rapid advancement of legislation aimed at incorporating Torah study into the Basic Law is also reportedly part of an emerging deal between Netanyahu and the haredi parties, ahead of the upcoming Knesset dissolution vote on its second and third readings.
The agreement between Netanyahu and the parties is to push the election date to October 20, rather than in September, as the haredi parties have sought, and in return, they would receive advancement on the Basic Law: Torah Study, haredi daycare subsidies law, and the kashrut law, according to a Channel 12 report.
Lawmakers from the haredi parties Shas and UTJ told the Knesset House Committee last week that they wanted to move up the election date to September, before the High Holy Days.
Numerous reports have stated that the haredi parties have pushed for this to improve turnout among haredi voters.
Netanyahu reportedly has opposed the move and instead seeks to hold elections in late October, allowing the coalition more time to advance legislation during the Knesset’s final session and potentially achieve military goals.
MK Dan Illouz, a member of the Likud, vowed on Sunday that he would vote against the addition of Torah study to the country's Basic Law when it is brought forward for its preliminary reading.
“This week, ultra-Orthodox political operatives are trying to bring to a vote a law that seeks to enshrine draft evasion under the guise of ‘Torah study.’ They call it the Basic Law: Torah Study, but it would be more accurate to call it the Basic Law: Desecration of the Torah," Illouz stated.
"If the bill is brought to a vote, I will vote against it, and I call on anyone who truly loves the Torah to vote against it," Illouz added.
“Inventing a Judaism in which Torah study exempts a person from defending the lives of his people is not the tradition of Israel. It is a new, detached, and dangerous invention that changes the DNA of Jewish law and of the Jewish people," he added,
Golan criticizes haredi party leader statements
The Democratic Party leader, Yair Golan, sharply criticized the remarks made by haredi party leaders during their visit to the draft evaders.
“While reservists are collapsing under the burden, Deri is supporting draft dodgers. This is not Judaism. This is not Zionism. This is small politics at the expense of those who serve,” he stated.
“In the upcoming elections, we will win and ensure an equal conscription law; whoever does not enlist will pay,” Golan added.
General elections must take place no later than October 27.