In a response to a High Court of Justice petition ahead of a hearing on
Thursday, the Defense Ministry said that it will start drafting haredi men
reaching the age of military service only in the summer and “in a gradual
manner” over a period of two years.
In addition, the state said in its
response that yeshiva students aged 20 and above, who until now have received
military service deferrals in accordance with the “Tal Law” of 2002, should not
be drafted until the Knesset rules on the issue.
Draft reform campaigners
reacted angrily to the publication of the response, accusing the ministry and
the government of breaking the law by not drafting haredi yeshiva students,
following the expiration of the Tal Law in August that allowed full-time yeshiva
students to indefinitely defer their military service.
Read the full story