Parliamentary legal adviser challenges ultra-Orthodox draft dodger law over ‘fundamental legislative flaws’

Israel’s parliamentary legal adviser has raised serious concerns about the constitutionality of a recently passed law that freezes arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders. The legal adviser, Segit Avik, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court arguing that the legislation failed to meet required procedural standards during its passage through parliament. This marks a significant challenge from within Israel’s legislative apparatus to a law backed by the government’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners.

The law in question was designed to halt the detention of Haredi men who have evaded military service, a longstanding issue that has created tension between Israel’s secular majority and ultra-Orthodox communities who traditionally exempt themselves from compulsory military service. The government’s decision to freeze such arrests was politically contentious, as it appeared to grant special treatment to one religious community whilst other Israeli citizens face mandatory conscription.

The parliamentary legal adviser’s intervention is particularly significant because it suggests the law may have been rushed through the legislative process without proper scrutiny. Israeli courts have previously annulled legislation when procedural requirements have been breached, even when the substantive policy itself might have support in parliament. The Supreme Court petition adds another layer of legal jeopardy to a law that has already proven deeply divisive across Israeli society.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.