Knesset Panel Advances Torah Study Basic Law

The Knesset House Committee voted 10-4 to advance a proposed Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the State of Israel, sending it toward a first plenum reading. Torah learning is a pillar of Jewish continuity and deserves public respect, but the bill is moving inside a fierce service-law dispute while the IDF says it needs thousands more fighters. Reports say a parallel temporary order would freeze arrests and enforcement against full-time yeshiva students for 90 days. Israel's challenge is to honor Torah study and haredi life while writing a durable service framework that protects soldiers, families and national unity.