The Israeli Supreme Court is currently holding a hearing on a contempt of court petition, after the government, according to the Attorney General and the petitioners, has failed to implement the ruling regarding the conscription of charedi men, including the promotion of economic sanctions and enforcement measures.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs is representing the government at the hearing.

Attorney Eliad Shraga from the Movement for Quality Government told Deputy President of the Supreme Court Noam Solberg: “The ministers will do nothing to advance the conscription of Haredim. Personal expenses and arrest warrants should be imposed on them. Three years ago, the Head of the IDF Personnel Directorate and others stood here and promised ‘we will recruit thousands of charedim,’ and look at the data now: I told you they were misleading you.”

Sohlberg replied: “The data is indeed troubling.”

Attorney Haggai Kalai, representing the petitioner “Free Israel,” said: “I ask the Court to order the IDF and the police to carry out enforcement operations against charedi draft evaders, which are not being carried out at all.”

Justice Yael Willner responded: “But we already ordered this in the ruling. So you are asking us to ‘order what has already been ordered’: Why would anything change?” Justice Daphne Barak-Erez added: “You are asking us to clarify and elaborate on the ruling.”

Kalai continued: “Within the framework of contempt of court, personal sanctions must be imposed on those who fail to carry out the Court’s instructions for criminal enforcement.”

Justice Willner asked: “Who is that? The minister?”
Kalai replied: “No, it is not the minister’s role to order or not order enforcement operations in Bnei Brak. There is someone in the police for whom this is the responsibility. When police representatives present their arguments, you should demand the name of that person.”

Attorney Barnea, representing one of the petitioners, requested: “We ask the Court to order that yeshivas close their gates to draft evaders. A yeshiva that wants to receive state funding should not allow draft evaders to enter.”

He further requested: “Set a condition that receiving budgets depends on full exposure of all yeshiva students to the IDF, that IDF representatives enter the yeshivas and explain what the military is.”

A representative of the Attorney General’s office stated during the hearing that the Minister of the Interior must prevent municipal tax (arnona) discounts for young charedim who are obligated to serve in the IDF.