As part of the effort to accommodate Haredi lawmakers over mandatory military services, lawmakers in the Coalition are drafting legislation that, based on recommendations by senior security officials, would raise the exemption age to 35 or even 40.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The maximum exemption age is currently set at 26, meaning that after that Haredi men can no longer get their exemption extended based on their declaration that "Torah study is my profession" under the controversial law that the High Court of Justice has asked the government to revise. While the exemption is in effect, the man who has not enlisted is required to study full-time in a yeshiva and cannot go out to work.
Rather than lowering the exemption age as low as possible, as has been recommended throughout the years of formulating the various conscription laws, with various proposals suggesting lowering it to 21-23 in an attempt to integrate Haredim into the workforce at an early age despite not serving in the military, the security establishment now recommends raising the exemption age to 35 or even 40.
The goal is to make young men think twice before committing to years of not working and only studying in yeshiva. Currently, a Haredi young man begins studying in yeshiva at 18 and by 23-24 can "drag it out" for another two years until 26 before going out to work, so he has no incentive to enlist.
Raising the exemption age could cause yeshiva students to think twice about choosing a path from which they would only enter the workforce at a late age, and many of them, who are unable to study for so many years in yeshiva, would presumably seek to perform military or national service and enter the workforce.
The advantage of the proposal is that the Haredi side can also say that it is a clause that strengthens yeshiva students since those who want to study will be able to do so undisturbed until the age of 35-40 – which aligns with the narrative of Haredi community leaders that "those who do not study in yeshiva should enlist."
The proposed clause is being examined positively by all parties on the committee, and even the Haredi representatives on the committee have expressed willingness to accept such a clause.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
