The Justice Ministry is again preparing to ask the High Court of Justice to postpone its decision on the haredi military conscription bill, Israel Hayom has learned.
Ministry officials plan to argue that it was difficult to change the language of the existing bill amid the uncertainty of election season.
The bill is an amendment to Israel's Defense Service Law that seeks to legally anchor exemptions afforded to ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.
"In order to allow the new government that will be formed after the election, along with the 21st Knesset, to deal with this complex issue, at the request of the prime minister and defense minister and based on the opinion of the attorney general – we ask the esteemed court to order another deadline extension," the appeal said.
The appeal asked to move the deadline to July 28, 2019, which would be three months into the 21st Knesset's first session.
In early December, the High Court of Justice extended the deadline for a revised conscription bill to January 15.
Three weeks ago, haredi lawmakers threatened to stop cooperating with the Knesset-appointed committee charged with drafting the bill. The haredi MKs said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, through Coalition Chairman David Amsalem, had no intention of amending the law and presenting it to the Knesset. The next day, coalition leaders decided to disperse the Knesset and Netanyahu called for early elections.
In related news, Israel Hayom has also learned that the Golani infantry brigade, which six months ago decided to enlist haredi soldiers into its ranks for the first time this coming March, is postponing the move due to uncertainty about the future of haredi military conscription.
Some 7,600 ultra-Orthodox soldiers and officers currently serve in a wide range of positions in combat units, cyber units, and other military roles. The Paratrooper and Givati infantry brigades have already set up haredi battalions, which are single-sex and accommodate the stringest religious practices of the soldiers. Many haredi combat troops serve in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which belongs to the Kfir Brigade.
