Despite Chareidi Concessions, Legal Adviser Demands New Sanctions on Torah Students
Even after Shas and Degel HaTorah signaled a willingness to accept the full slate of demands presented by the Knesset’s legal advisers regarding the draft law, the legal counsel to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is now pushing for additional and more far-reaching sanctions on yeshiva students.
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee legal adviser Miri Frenkel-Shor is seeking to incorporate new, significant penalties into the current version of the conscription legislation, according to new information.
Senior officials within Degel HaTorah say that after the chareidi factions indicated they were prepared to meet all of the Knesset legal advisory team’s requirements — including raising enlistment targets and agreeing that sanctions would take effect immediately and only be lifted after a full year of compliance — they were taken aback to learn that further penalties were being demanded.
“She asked to add another basket of sanctions, ones that would apply to Torah students even in a situation where enlistment targets are met. She sent us back to the Edelstein document. We’re in trouble,” a senior Degel figure involved in drafting the legislation admitted.
The same official added that additional disputes remain unresolved, including the status of yeshiva students who have been classified as draft evaders. “In the end, the ones who will decide are the Gedolei Yisrael,” he said.
As previously reported, representatives from Shas and Degel HaTorah acknowledged that negotiations have reached an impasse, with no apparent path to bridging the gap between the legal advisory demands and the agreements the chareidi factions are prepared to accept.
Senior chareidi officials related that an understanding with the legal advisers now appears unlikely. In the immediate term, they said, Gedolei Yisrael will need to determine how the factions proceed regarding both the draft law and the state budget.
“We are in the worst position we’ve been in so far,” a senior chareidi figure involved in the draft law discussions said. “We will have to make decisions. In the immediate timeframe, we will present the matter to the Gedolei Yisrael to receive their ruling on how to continue the legislative process.”
According to party insiders, Degel HaTorah is weighing several possible courses of action. One option under consideration is agreeing to the primary demands of the Knesset’s legal advisory team, including immediate implementation of sanctions and higher enlistment targets, in line with the position of committee legal adviser Attorney Miri Frenkel-Shor.
Another scenario being discussed is advancing the draft legislation — known as the Bismuth Law — even without the support of the legal advisory establishment, fully aware that the High Court of Justice is likely to issue an interim injunction and could ultimately strike the law down.
A third possibility, described by senior officials as less realistic, would involve dissolving the Knesset and heading to immediate elections. “That’s the least realistic option, because you don’t dismantle a government in an election year and shoot ourselves in the other foot. We would be the first to be harmed if there is no budget,” one senior official said.
“There isn’t much time,” the officials added. “We will likely need to make decisions before the end of the week. Gedolei Yisrael will make the decision — not us.”
{Matzav.com}
