71 Municipal Leaders Oppose Knesset Draft and Exemption Laws

Seventy-one mayors and local- and regional-council heads signed a joint statement Wednesday opposing the Knesset's recently passed draft and exemption laws. The signatories included Local Government Center chairman and Modi'in Mayor Haim Bibas and Regional Council Center chairman Shai Hajaj, alongside leaders from communities across Israel. They said the measures harm national resilience and social cohesion while the public continues carrying military and reserve-service burdens. The statement called Torah study an important Jewish value and said many residents show that Torah learning can coexist with service in the IDF and security forces.