The High Court of Justice in Israel has issued a temporary freeze on a new Knesset law that would have halted arrest, investigation, and enforcement proceedings against qualifying haredi yeshiva students who failed to complete military service.
The court’s conditional order was issued on Wednesday, merely hours after the legislature approved the controversial legislation on Tuesday.
The judicial move effectively suspends the law’s implementation, citing longstanding precedents regarding yeshiva conscription and raising concerns over selective enforcement of military service obligations.
The decision underscores the persistent legal friction between Israel’s legislative branch and its judiciary on matters of national service and religious exemption.
The legislation aimed to provide legal protection for ultra-Orthodox students who have not served in the Israel Defense Forces, a policy shift that has drawn significant criticism from secular groups and legal experts who argue it undermines the principle of equal burden-sharing.
The High Court’s intervention suggests that the law may face substantial constitutional hurdles before it can take effect.