Rabbi Yigal Rozen, head of Yeshivat Ohr Yisrael and a leading figure in Degel HaTorah's conscription policy, told yeshiva students Thursday that no legislative initiative currently underway will resolve the military draft crisis, and that the situation will worsen. His remarks come amid internal coalition tensions over the Haredi draft exemption bill.
Rabbi Yigal Rozen, head of Yeshivat Ohr Yisrael and the architect of Degel HaTorah's conscription policy, delivered a stark assessment Thursday evening to yeshiva students. Asked whether the current legislative situation regarding the draft law would be resolved, Rozen replied: 'In the normal course of things, there is no move, and it will get worse — and don't let anyone tell you stories about a move that will solve this problem.'
The statement reflects deepening pessimism within Degel HaTorah over the prospects of passing a yeshiva draft exemption bill in the current Knesset session. As The Zioneer has reported, internal tensions within United Torah Judaism have stalled the legislation, with Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni pushing for an urgent vote while Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has reportedly sought to delay the process.
Rozen's comments — unusually blunt for a senior rabbinic figure closely involved in the legislative effort — suggest that the Degel HaTorah leadership sees no viable path forward under the current coalition configuration. The remarks also align with recent warnings from coalition figures that coercion and arrests over the draft issue would fail.
No further details were provided by Rozen, and no specific alternative legislative strategy was outlined.
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