"In the upcoming Knesset's winter session, the government will have to introduce a definitive bill regarding the military draft [of yeshiva students] to replace the Tal arrangement which expired a week ago, per the Supreme Court decision." This was the announcement on Monday of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, in a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee which dealt with this issue. Barak noted that due to the expiry of the previous law and the lack of any new law, some form of interim agreements will be put into effect until a legal arrangement is arrived at in the Knesset winter session.
Barak stressed that "the attempt to pass an alternate law failed, either along the Plesner channels or those of Bugi Yaalon. At present, there is no governing law, but no vacuum exists either. I have invested Zahal with the task of being prepared to operate even without a new legal arrangement."
The Defense Minister also clarified that he briefed Zahal on the future scenario where a balance will be attempted to be reached between the Supreme Court ruling and the needs of Zahal. At any rate, this issue will require government approval. "The situation cannot be decided with a hatchet, but the chareidim must realize that the situation existing until now cannot be a permanent arrangement either."
