Seven Opposition Leaders Urge Coalition to Reject Draft-Arrest Freeze

Seven opposition figures issued a joint appeal Monday night urging coalition lawmakers to reject the temporary bill freezing arrests of qualifying yeshiva and kollel students who have not reported for military service. The statement was signed by Yair Lapid, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan, Hili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel. They linked their appeal to IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir's warning that the measure could harm the military during wartime, and said serving and working Israelis would remember the vote. The bill has cleared committee for its final Knesset readings.