Legal Adviser Says Draft-Arrest Freeze Bypasses Draft Law

The legal adviser to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee warned against the temporary bill that would freeze criminal proceedings against Haredi yeshiva students who have not reported for military service. The memo says the proposal creates a bypass around a full draft framework for yeshiva students and would give future conscripts legitimacy not to obey the Defense Service Law, effectively granting advance immunity from criminal enforcement. The review was circulated before the committee's planned discussion. Israel needs a durable service law that respects Torah learning while preserving equal legal authority and wartime manpower.