New Draft Law Imposes Sanctions, Sets 50% Enlistment Goal for Charedim

 New IDF Giyus  Draft Law Imposes Sanctions, Sets 50% Enlistment Goal for Charedim

After intensive overnight negotiations, Israel’s government reached a landmark agreement with ultra-Orthodox (Charedi) parties on a new military draft law. The proposed legislation introduces sweeping changes to conscription among Charedi men and outlines both individual and institutional sanctions for non-compliance.

The law will be enacted as a temporary six-year order, featuring an automatic cancellation mechanism if draft quotas are not met consistently. Within five years, 50% of all eligible Charedi men aged 18–26 must be enlisted.

Several sefardi roshei yeshiva said they fear that weak sefardi bochurim will be used to fill the quotas which for them is a gezeiras shmaad.

To count as achieving the draft targets, 95% of the annual goal must be met. If this threshold is not reached for four consecutive years, the law will automatically expire. However, if goals are achieved, the law can be extended by one year at a time.

Veteran Israeli journalist Amit Segal offered a sharp assessment of the agreement:

“The Charedim are deceiving themselves if they think they’ll be able to improve their position in the near future. What they’ve agreed to will no longer be overturned—on the contrary, it will serve as the minimum baseline. It’s no longer about the Attorney General or the Supreme Court—it’s now about the rabbis of Degel HaTorah and Shas.”

Political pundits have observed that the most draconian clause in the emerging legislation is the stipulation that if recruitment goals fall below 75%, yeshiva budgets will be completely canceled. This is viewed as an unprecedented and high-stakes measure that threatens the financial foundation of the Torah world. Crucially, this provision was approved by Charedi representatives as part of the agreement—with no option to amend it later.

Key Principles and Sanctions in Israel’s New Charedi Draft Law

Draft Targets

Year 1: 4,800 Charedim enlisted

Year 2: 5,700 enlisted

By Year 5: 50% of the eligible Charedi draft-age population enlisted

Target fulfillment requires 95% success each year

Sanctions Under the Law

1. Immediate Personal Sanctions (Upon Enactment)

For individuals who do not enlist and are not exempt:

Suspension of driver’s licenses and inability to issue a new one until age 23

Exit bans from Israel (exceptions granted by a special committee)

Cancellation of affirmative action benefits in the public sector

Cancellation of academic study subsidies

Loss of tax credit points for those neither studying in yeshiva nor serving in the military (until age 26)

2. Sanctions After Half-Year Review (If Mid-Year Target Isn’t Met)

Loss of daycare subsidies

Loss of public transportation discounts

3. Sanctions After One Year (If Full-Year Target Isn’t Met)

Suspension of National Insurance (Bituach Leumi) benefits for the following year

4. Sanctions After Two Years (If Targets Still Not Met)

Ineligibility for the “Affordable Housing” (Mechir Lamishtaken) program

Loss of subsidies for second-hand home purchases

Loss of funding for afternoon childcare programs

Elimination of purchase tax discounts

5. Collective Sanctions

If the broader Charedi community fails to meet draft targets:

Loss of yeshiva stipends, housing assistance, daycare subsidies, and property tax discounts for the entire eligible population

6. Institutional Sanctions (Against Yeshivas)

Yeshivas that fail to meet draft goals face steep budget penalties:

If 75% or more of the annual goal is met: the shortfall will be doubled and deducted from the institution’s budget

Example: If 80% is achieved, the 20% shortfall results in a 40% budget cut

If less than 75% is achieved: 100% of yeshiva funding is revoked

Additional penalties—including closure—may be imposed by the Ministry of Education for persistent non-compliance

7. Additional Individual Penalties

Fines: A base fine of 7,500 NIS, with an additional 75 NIS charged per day of non-compliance

Loss of income support and housing assistance

Revocation of property tax discounts

Perceived Charedi Gains Despite Strict Sanctions

Despite the sweeping measures, some view the agreement as a political win for Charedi leadership. Notably:

Yeshiva funding will be immediately reinstated upon passage of the law

Only if draft compliance drops below 75% after one year will funding be cut in the subsequent year