{"id":933228,"date":"2026-07-14T01:38:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T01:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/933228\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T01:38:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T01:38:21","slug":"israel-passes-quasi-constitutional-law-declaring-torah-study-a-foundational-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/933228\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel passes quasi-constitutional law declaring Torah study a foundational value"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Knesset voted 63-52 on Monday to pass a deeply divisive Basic Law declaring Torah study a \u201cfoundational value\u201d of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, following 10 hours of speeches and opposition filibustering, and despite resistance from the opposition, legal officials, reservists and some coalition lawmakers.<\/p>\n

The legislation makes Torah study the only value explicitly enshrined in one of Israel\u2019s Basic Laws, giving it quasi-constitutional recognition. Haredi parties pushed to pass the law as part of their broader effort to preserve blanket military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, while opponents argue it effectively elevates Torah study above all other national values.<\/p>\n

The law was framed to make it harder for the High Court of Justice to continue to rule that Haredi non-service is illegal and discriminatory, because it enshrines Torah study as an essential component of the state.<\/p>\n

The court ruled<\/a> unanimously in 2024 that the government must draft ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students into the military since there was no legal framework to continue the decades-long practice of granting them blanket exemptions from army service.<\/p>\n

Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted. The IDF has said repeatedly in recent months that it urgently needs 12,000 new recruits amid ongoing multi-front conflict since Hamas\u2019s massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.<\/p>\n

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While the final version of the legislation no longer explicitly equates Torah study with military service following pressure from some within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s own Likud, opponents argue that even in its pared-down form, it intolerably seeks to legislatively anchor the ongoing broad exemption from IDF service of Haredi young men, elevating Torah study above other national values while the IDF is crying out for manpower and tens of thousands of reservists continue to serve in the ongoing war.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tHaredi men block the road outside the IDF recruitment center in Jerusalem on November 12, 2025 (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, a historic step has been taken in the State of Israel,\u201d said United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni, who co-sponsored the law. \u201cThis Basic Law will serve as the state\u2019s moral compass and express the recognition that Torah study is not merely the heritage of the past, but the foundation upon which rests the present and future of the Jewish people on their land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shas party chairman Arye Deri celebrated, \u201cThis is a victory for the world of Torah and a clear answer to the ousted attorney general and everyone who sought to persecute and humiliate yeshiva students. You will not succeed in breaking the Jewish spirit. The holy Torah will prevail!\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tShas chairman Aryeh Deri attends a plenum session on a bill proposed to enshrine Torah study in a basic law at the assembly hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem, July 13, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

\u201cI never dreamed that we would have to legislate a Basic Law to establish that Torah study is a foundational value in the State of Israel,\u201d said United Torah Judaism chair Yitzhak Goldknopf before the plenum, during the debate before the vote.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tUnited Torah Judaism\u2019s Yitzhak Goldknopf (right) speaks with coalition chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) during a plenum session on a law defining Torah study as a foundational value of the state, in the Knesset on July 13, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg \/ Flash90)<\/p>\n

Likud MKs Yuli Edelstein and Dan Illouz voted against the legislation. Both have long opposed the bill and recently announced they are leaving Likud over the issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow characteristic of this coalition that it opens the last week [of Knesset legislation before October\u2019s elections] with a Basic Law that is an utter desecration of God\u2019s name,\u201d fumed Opposition leader Yair Lapid from the Knesset podium before the vote. \u201cThis is how you are ending your term: by spitting in the face of IDF soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tOpposition leader Yair Lapid speaks against a Basic Law on Torah study, in the Knesset on July 13, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

Added opposition MK Chili Tropper: \u201cThis house is behaving this week as though the war is over: It\u2019s ok to look after draft dodgers. It\u2019s ok to back the evasion of IDF service\u2026. But the war is still here. Our soldiers are in Lebanon right now \u2026 and they see clearly that in this house, this week, draft dodgers are preferred to warriors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tMK Chili Tropper speaks against a Basic Law on Torah study in the Knesset on July 13, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

Netanyahu stays away from vote; Eisenkot calls him a coward<\/p>\n

Netanyahu was absent from the vote, prompting opposition Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot to write, \u201cCoward. Here\u2019s another stain, one that won\u2019t be erased.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tL: Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot, on November 1, 2025. (Moshe Shai\/Flash90) R: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Jewish News Syndicate conference in Jerusalem, on June 21, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90)<\/p>\n

The legislation is the first of several contentious measures expected to become law this week as part of a larger political deal struck last month between Netanyahu and his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners to break a legislative deadlock and solidify their alliance before the election.<\/p>\n

Under that agreement, the coalition is fast-tracking further legislation demanded by the Haredi parties, including bills temporarily freezing arrests and sanctions of draft dodgers, and restoring the Chief Rabbinate\u2019s monopoly over kosher certification.<\/p>\n

In return, the Haredi parties are backing legislation Netanyahu wants, including a bill that would give the government control over appointing a commission to investigate the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, attack as well as legislation significantly weakening the powers of the attorney general, one of the country\u2019s only institutional checks on executive power.<\/p>\n

According to the Knesset\u2019s weekly agenda, lawmakers are also expected to hold final votes in the coming days on Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi\u2019s media overhaul bill, a measure to give the government control of the Kan public broadcaster\u2019s budget, a bill establishing an official October 7 state memorial framework, and legislation expanding gender-segregated study tracks in higher education.<\/p>\n

All of the legislation and more is expected to pass by the end of the week, when the Knesset dissolves ahead of the October 27 general election.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tProtesters at a Tel Aviv rally against planned legislation enshrining the exclusion of ultra-Orthodox men from IDF service, March 14, 2024. the sign reads: \u2018Sharing the burden.\u2019 (Avshalom Shoshani \/ Flash90)<\/p>\n

Opposition leaders roundly condemned the law\u2019s passage, and in a rare joint statement ahead of the vote urged coalition lawmakers to vote against the legislation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call on coalition members to act responsibly and not vote in favor of seriously harming the IDF during a war, in defiance of the IDF chief of staff\u2019s dramatic warning,\u201d the statement read, referring to a harsh letter<\/a> from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to lawmakers opposing legislation advancing in the Knesset to shield draft dodgers at a time of war.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose who support the draft-evasion law will forever bear the shame of that vote in the eyes of the citizens of Israel who serve and work,\u201d the opposition leaders added.<\/p>\n

The statement was signed by Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, Yashar chair Eisenkot, former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the joint Together list, Yisrael Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman, Democrats chairman Yair Golan, and former Blue and White MK Chili Tropper and Yoaz Hendel\u2019s Reservists party.<\/p>\n

Notably absent was Benny Gantz\u2019s Blue and White party, which has broken with the rest of the opposition by refusing to rule out joining a future government led by Netanyahu. Gantz has also declined to state explicitly whether he would serve in a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties.<\/p>\n

But Gantz issued his own statement against the proposed Basic Law, saying it harms the value of mutual responsibility in Israel.<\/p>\n

\u201cTorah study is an important and central value for the Jewish people, but the State of Israel must ensure that the value of service and defending our shared home will be protected,\u201d wrote Gantz, a former IDF chief and defense minister. \u201cThere are no rights without responsibility, and no responsibility is placed only on part of the public.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05e2\u05d4 \u05de\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea\u05e4\u05ea \u05d5\u05de\u05d9\u05d5\u05d7\u05d3\u05ea:<\/p>\n

\u05d0\u05e0\u05d5, \u05e8\u05d0\u05e9\u05d9 \u05d4\u05de\u05e4\u05dc\u05d2\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d7\u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05de\u05d8\u05d4, \u05e7\u05d5\u05e8\u05d0\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d7\u05d1\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d4\u05db\u05e0\u05e1\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05e7\u05d5\u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05e6\u05d9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e0\u05d4\u05d5\u05d2 \u05d1\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05dc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e6\u05d1\u05d9\u05e2 \u05d1\u05e2\u05d3 \u05e4\u05d2\u05d9\u05e2\u05d4 \u05e7\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e6\u05d4\u05f4\u05dc \u05d1\u05d6\u05de\u05df \u05de\u05dc\u05d7\u05de\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05d2\u05d5\u05d3 \u05dc\u05d0\u05d6\u05d4\u05e8\u05ea\u05d5 \u05d4\u05d3\u05e8\u05de\u05d8\u05d9\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05e8\u05de\u05d8\u05db\u05f4\u05dc.<\/p>\n

\u05e8\u05e9\u05d9\u05de\u05ea \u05d4\u05e7\u05dc\u05d5\u05df \u05e9\u05dc \u05ea\u05d5\u05de\u05db\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d5\u05e7 \u05d4\u05d4\u05e9\u05ea\u05de\u05d8\u05d5\u05ea \u05ea\u05d4\u05d9\u05d9\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e0\u05e6\u05d7 \u05dc\u05e0\u05d2\u05d3 \u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc \u05d0\u05d6\u05e8\u05d7\u05d9 \u05d9\u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05dc \u05d4\u05de\u05e9\u05e8\u05ea\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d4\u05e2\u05d5\u05d1\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd.<\/p>\n

\u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d7\u05ea\u05d5\u05dd:\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Gadi Eisenkot \u2013 \u05d2\u05d3\u05d9 \u05d0\u05d9\u05d6\u05e0\u05e7\u05d5\u05d8 (@gadi_eisenkot) July 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHow characteristic of this coalition that it opens the last week [of the Knesset term] with a Basic Law that is an utter desecration of God\u2019s name. This is how you are ending your term: by spitting in the face of IDF soldiers,\u201d said Lapid, speaking before the plenum ahead of the vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis house is behaving this week as though the war is over,\u201d Tropper said. \u201cOur soldiers are in Lebanon right now\u2026 and they see clearly that in this house, this week, draft-dodgers are preferred to warriors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking at his faction meeting earlier in the day, Liberman called the legislative push a \u201cfire sale of the State of Israel and all of our basic values.\u201d<\/p>\n

Golan vowed to repeal the legislative agenda of the \u201cmost corrupt, extremist and violent coalition\u201d in Israel\u2019s history if elected, declaring that replacing \u201cthe laws of destruction\u201d would be the first priority of the next parliament.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of the Basic Law: Torah Study, which cynically exploits Basic Laws for political ends, we will complete Israel\u2019s Basic Laws, strengthen democracy and lay the groundwork for a constitution,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The Movement for Quality Government announced immediately following the vote that it had petitioned the High Court of Justice to strike down the Basic Law, arguing that it is an attempt to \u201cturn draft evasion into a constitutional value.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind the innocent name lies an attempt to write exemption from military service into Israel\u2019s Basic Laws \u2014 to circumvent High Court rulings precisely as enforcement has begun to take effect and sanctions are increasing enlistment,\u201d the organization said in a statement, arguing that \u201ca Basic Law born of a political deal, enacted in haste and without genuine public debate, and seeking to institutionalize permanent discrimination, cannot stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group also warned that the legislation is only \u201cthe first part of the plan,\u201d pointing to separate coalition-backed legislation<\/a> that would temporarily bar the arrest of yeshiva students who evade the draft. It argued that the two bills together amount to \u201ca draft exemption law through the back door\u201d and vowed to fight the measure \u201cboth in the Knesset and in the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Knesset voted 63-52 on Monday to pass a deeply divisive Basic Law declaring Torah study a \u201cfoundational…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":933229,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2],"tags":[367447,323629,99,27269,50,324235],"class_list":["post-933228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-basic-law-torah-study","tag-draft-evasion","tag-israel","tag-knesset","tag-news","tag-ultra-orthodox-parties"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116915780897404593","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/933228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=933228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/933228\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/933229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=933228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=933228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=933228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}