The Lead
The Knesset plenum approved the Basic Law: Torah Study in its second and third readings on Tuesday, officially enshrining the practice as a foundational value of the State of Israel. The final version of the law was amended following demands from Likud lawmakers to remove a clause that would have defined Torah study as a "significant service" to the state, a phrasing that had drawn intense criticism from security advocates and reservist organizations.
The passage of the Basic Law: Torah Study marks the culmination of a central legislative demand by the Haredi parties within the governing coalition. While the law establishes Torah study as a constitutional value, the final hours of negotiations saw a significant shift in its language. According to material reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk, several Likud MKs insisted on the removal of the "significant service" designation to avoid a direct legal and symbolic equivalence between yeshiva students and IDF soldiers.
Political Friction and Amendments
The legislation has been a source of friction both within the coalition and between the government and the opposition. Earlier drafts of the bill, which sought to equate the rights of Torah students with those of security personnel, were met with warnings from figures like MK Yuli Edelstein, who argued such a comparison could constitute a "desecration of God's name." The removal of the "significant service" clause reflects an attempt to balance the demands of Shas and United Torah Judaism with the concerns of the Likud's more security-focused wing.
Opposition and Legal Outlook
Despite the removal of the controversial clause, opposition lawmakers maintain that the law will serve as a constitutional shield to justify continued military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. Shas chairman Arye Deri, speaking after the vote, framed the law's passage as a victory against what he described as "persecution" of Torah scholars. The law is expected to face immediate scrutiny from legal experts and potential petitions to the High Court of Justice, as it enters Israel's framework of Basic Laws during a period of heightened debate over the "equal burden" of national service.
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