Israel's parliament has passed a contentious basic law recognising Torah study as a fundamental value of the Jewish people and the state, in a 63-52 vote just days before the Knesset's dissolution for general elections scheduled on 27 October 2026. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, absent from the vote, is seen seeking to shore up his alliance with ultra-Orthodox parties before the ballot.
Meanwhile, Israeli army chief of staff Eyal Zamir opposed a separate bill that would freeze the arrest of draft-evading ultra-Orthodox men, in a letter addressed to Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, and the head of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. The legislation would grant tens of thousands of Haredi men immunity from arrest until 30 November 2026, despite the foreign affairs committee having already approved the proposal for final readings.
The dispute follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling in June 2024 that mandated Haredi conscription, ending decades of exemption. The military estimates a shortfall of roughly 15,000 personnel, including up to 8,000 combat troops, while an estimated 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 remain unregistered for service.