Netanyahu can't campaign against draft-evasion law he just backed - editorial

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government recently passed a law that freezes arrests of ultra-Orthodox (haredi) draft evaders. However, the High Court of Justice froze the measure the following day amid significant legal criticism, opposition from reservists and bereaved families, and warnings that it would not alleviate the IDF's manpower shortage. This action followed Netanyahu's own admission, reportedly made in a closed-door meeting, that the law was a failure and would not be renewed under a future government. He suggested that draft evaders who do not study Torah would face enlistment or imprisonment.

The editorial criticizes Netanyahu's timing and his government's actions, noting that the law was passed less than three weeks before his reported repudiation. Netanyahu had publicly supported the legislation, which aimed to protect draft evaders at the demand of haredi parties, despite the ongoing war, the prolonged reserve duty burden, and repeated warnings from military leaders. The article argues that Netanyahu is now attempting to use his reversal as evidence of future resolve, a claim made difficult by the fact that his coalition advanced the bill despite these concerns.

The piece highlights the central problem with Netanyahu's approach: he presents haredi enlistment as a task for a future government, despite leading the current government and most Israeli governments since the Tal Law was struck down in 2012. Fourteen years, the editorial contends, have provided ample time to establish a fair and enforceable framework for conscription. Instead, successive Netanyahu governments have allegedly delayed, diluted, and traded away reforms to maintain coalition agreements. The article concludes that Israel can no longer afford such delays, as the IDF is critically short of soldiers and reservists have endured repeated deployments.