It was the bleakest, blackest day, reeking of a dismal and sorrowful anti-Semitism the likes of which the Torah world and chareidi public had not seen since the establishment of the State of Israel 65 years ago: the Knesset plenum began its session at midnight on Monday dealing with the first reading of the drastic, shameful bill calling for the draft of yeshiva students by force, including registration of a criminal record and imprisonment of every ben Torah who refuses to be drafted or serve in a National Service framework.
This is a bill initiated by Yesh Atid, headed by Minister Yair Lapid, a proposal reeking with a burning, boundless hatred against the Torah world, the chareidi public and anything and everything the smacks of Torah and religion.
Discussion of the bill that was aimed at the very soul of the chareidi community, began close to midnight. There were 66 speakers from various parties who had registered to speak about it, and thus the discussion took more than four hours. After that there was a vote in which the government's majority was certain to prevail. The government included, prominently, the HaBayit Hayehudi party, purported successor to the National Religious Party, that had pledged to look after the interests of the Torah world and to ensure that it was not harmed. The vote was on the first of three readings that every piece of legislation undergoes in the Israeli parliamentary system.
Minister Yaakov Peri from Yesh Atid presented the bill to the Knesset. He headed the government committee which prepared and formulated the bill. The clause regarding civil service was presented by the Minister of Finance, Naftali Bennet.
Minister Peri detailed the stages in the implementation of the new law. In the first stage, all talmidei yeshiva and avreichim who are between the ages of 22 and 28 will be called to report to special centers, where they will be asked if they want to be drafted into the army or to do civil service. They may decline both options and if so they will be given a permanent exemption from both army and civil service (pettur). All those who are between 18 and 22 will be given a deferral for four years, after which they will be asked to serve in the army or in civil roles, in accordance with the army's manpower needs. In three more years, whoever reaches the age of 18 will have an obligation to be drafted immediately. However he may delay the beginning of his service for 3 years to learn in a yeshiva. After that he must do army or civil service. All this excludes 1,800 masmidim each year who will be permanently exempt from service.
He also stated that every chareidi boy who refuses to be drafted will have the same status as a non-religious boy who refuses to be drafted. In this way he referred to the sections of the law that will impose criminal sanctions on yeshiva students who refuse to be drafted. They may even be thrown into military prisons as draft refusers.
However, the center of attention at that time was not in the Knesset plenum where this dismal law was presented, but rather outside, opposite the entrance to the plenum, not far from the Knesset cafeteria (where the prime minister was at that time).
The Knesset members of United Torah Judaism openly boycotted the presentation of the law, and all of the UTJ Knesset members attended an impressive prayer gathering in that lobby, including saying selichos and techinnos, in extreme protest against the presentation of this awful law. Soon the atzeres tefillah was also joined by some of the members of Shas, as well as the staff of the Knesset members, chareidi members of the press and some religious Knesset staff. Standing around and watching were dozens of other Knesset workers, orderlies, Members of Knesset, various government Ministers, and more. All looked in astonishment at this event the like of which has never been seen in the Knesset until Monday night.
Tehillim and selichos were said, and a shofar was blown.
The prayers closed with a rousing singing of Utzu eitzoh vesufor... that could be heard far away in the halls of the Knesset building.
After that the Knesset members went back into the plenum, and took their turn expressing their protest against this awful law. The Knesset members from the Arab parties and from Meretz also expressed their unequivocal opposition to the law.
At the end of his speech, MK Rabbi Meir Porush took out handcuffs and bound himself to the microphone on the podium. Since he did not have the key, it took some time for the Knesset officials to dismantle the microphone in order to escort Rabbi Porush out. Rabbi Porush explained that he took such an extreme step to dramatize the threat to Torah students to be thrown into jail. The Chairman of the Knesset was very upset and threatened disciplinary action against Rabbi Porush.
Just before the vote, MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni suddenly called out, "Ovinu Malkeinu kera ro'a gezar dineinu!" That was the cue for all the chareidi MKs to rend their garments like mourners confronting a corpse.
Finally, after a discussion that lasted until 5 in the morning, the Knesset approved the first reading of the law by a vote of 64 to 21.
Voting in favor of the law were all MKs from Halikud Beiteinu, Yesh Atid, HaBayit Hayehudi, Hatenu'a, and most members of the Labor Party including the head, Shelly Yachimovitz. Voting against were all the MKs from United Torah Judaism, Shas, Meretz, two MKs from Labor, and 3 MKs from Arab parties. Four members of the HaBayit Hayehudi did not participate in the vote.
Next the law goes to a special committee which will deliberate further on the bill, after which the final version will be brought back to the Knesset for its second and third readings.
The Knesset Attorney announced that it will not be possible to bring the law for its second and third readings in the summer Knesset session. This rendered moot the publicly expressed desire of Treasury Minister Yair Lapid to pass the law in the summer Knesset session. The winter Knesset session starts in about four months.
