Opposition leader Yair Lapid said desertion, refusal to serve, and draft evasion during wartime are all illegal. The statement adds to the political debate over the conscription law and Haredi military service exemptions.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid issued a statement Wednesday asserting that desertion, refusal to serve, and evasion of military service during wartime are violations of the law. The statement, posted on social media, comes amid a heated political debate over the conscription law and the exemption of Haredi yeshiva students from mandatory service.
The debate has drawn in multiple political and security figures. As The Zioneer reported, the Attorney General and the Military Advocate General jointly opposed a proposed arrest bill that would grant immunity from prosecution for draft evaders, warning it would create an incentive to avoid service (July 13). IDF senior officers warned that the combat force is nearing collapse without a service extension and criticized linking the extension to the conscription law (July 2). Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman called the government's handling of the issue 'unacceptable' (July 13). Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said the government's refusal to abide by a High Court ruling on the matter was a 'declaration of war' and called for nonviolent civil disobedience (July 5).
Lapid's statement adds a direct legal warning from the opposition leader, who has been a vocal critic of the government's approach to the crisis. The Knesset is expected to continue deliberations on the conscription law in the coming weeks.
- StrongYesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu petition High Court against Haredi draft-evader arrest exemption bill
- StrongIDF Chief of Staff: Draft evaders arrest law harms legitimacy of serving public
- StrongLiberman: 'Unacceptable' to allow mass draft evasion for one sector while extending service for all
- StrongKnesset committee legal advisor opposes deserters bill, says it bypasses conscription law
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