BICOM

In a late night vote, the Knesset yesterday approved a change to the current law, which will roll back measures introduced last year intended to mandate greater ultra-Orthodox military enlistment.

Legislation was approved last March, spearheaded by Yesh Atid, requiring that all but 1,800 full-time ultra-Orthodox seminary students be required to enlist in either the IDF or civilian national service once they reach the age of 21. The law was to be fully implemented by 2017.

However, the law was vehemently opposed by ultra-Orthodox parties United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas, who now sit on the government benches following March’s general election, while Yesh Atid now finds itself in opposition. As a result, UTJ and Shas made their support for the state budget, which was approved last week, dependent on government support for an amendment to the military draft regulations.

In a vote carried by 40 in favour and 36 against (MKs from the Joint Arab List did not participate), the Knesset approved second and third readings of a bill which effectively postpones mandatory enlistment of ultra-Orthodox students until 2020 and after that point allows the government to set draft targets “in accordance with the recommendation of the defence minister.” Those who voted in favour of the bill include MKs from Likud and Jewish Home who last year supported the legislation which the new law effectively overrides.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee chairman, Likud MK Tzachi Hanegbi presented the bill to the Knesset. He said, “We want to see the ultra-Orthodox integrating into national service, and the government thinks that this law will strengthen the ability of the ultra-Orthodox community to attain those targets.”

However, Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri, a major force behind the previous legislation, commented “This law annuls the principles of justice, fairness and equality,” adding “It is not moral and not principled, and narrow politics are victorious … directing the decision making process … Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is just doing everything simply to survive.”