The Knesset on Monday night approved the Basic Law: Torah Study in its second and third readings by a vote of 63-52. The law declares that “Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did not participate in the vote. Likud MKs Dan Illouz and Yuli Edelstein, who recently announced they are leaving the party, voted against the legislation.

Ahead of the vote, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, Yair Golan, along with Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel, issued a joint statement calling on coalition lawmakers to vote against the bill. “We call on coalition members to act responsibly and not vote in favor of seriously harming the IDF during wartime, in direct contradiction to the Chief of Staff’s dramatic warning,” they wrote. They added that “the list of those supporting the draft exemption law will forever remain before the eyes of the citizens of Israel who serve and work.”

According to the report, Benny Gantz was asked to join the statement but declined and instead issued a separate statement.

The Movement for Quality Government announced that it will petition the High Court against the law, arguing that “behind this innocent-sounding name lies an attempt to insert draft exemptions into Israel’s Basic Laws in order to circumvent High Court rulings on equality in sharing the burden.” The organization added that the law “was born out of a political deal, enacted hastily and without meaningful public debate, and seeks to institutionalize permanent discrimination.”

Last week, the coalition agreed to significantly soften the legislation so that it would be declarative in nature and would not equate the legal rights of Torah learners with those serving in the IDF. The final version contains only the provision stating that “Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people.”

However, senior officials in Israel’s legal establishment told Kan News that, despite the changes, they do not believe the law is merely declarative. According to the report, they argue the legislation is intended to constrain the courts, government legal advisers, and government ministries by creating a new Basic Law that could later be used to justify budget allocations, halt the arrest of Chareidi draft evaders, and support exemptions from military service.

The report adds that disagreement remains within the coalition over which bill will be brought to the Knesset floor next. Chareidi parties are demanding legislation preventing the arrest of draft evaders, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insists that agreements first be reached on the full package of legislation expected to be voted on this week.

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