Goldknopf Sparks Knesset Uproar Claiming Draft Dodgers Live in Tel Aviv, Not Haredi Cities

United Torah Judaism MK Yitzchak Goldknopf ignited a furious House Committee session on June 28, 2026, debating the proposed Basic Law: Torah Study, by insisting the real draft dodgers "live in Tel Aviv" and likening yeshiva exemptions to permits granted athletes traveling for tournaments such as the World Cup. Lawmakers erupted with cries of "Shame on you" and noted that even professional athletes report for IDF service. Yesh Atid's Merav Cohen called the remark "a slap in the face" after nearly three years of multi-front war. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid earlier refuted Goldknopf's "100,000 dodgers" figure, citing Tel Aviv enlistment rates matching the national average, reaching 82 percent in northern neighborhoods, and honoring the 29 Tel Avivians killed defending Israel.