Overview
- The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, led by MK Boaz Bismuth, circulated an updated draft and slated intensive deliberations for next week.
- The proposal imposes binding enlistment targets, with the first period fixed to end June 30, 2026 and an initial benchmark of 5,760 recruits before rising toward 50% of each annual cohort by year five.
- Recognized national service is narrowed to security agencies only—the Israel Police, Prison Service, Shin Bet and Mossad—excluding broader civilian organizations.
- Failure to meet targets would trigger steep yeshiva funding cuts of up to 80%, while individual noncompliance could mean loss of scholarships, restrictions on driver’s licenses and limits on travel, with some sanctions age‑bounded.
- Opposition figures and several coalition MKs condemned the plan, Haredi parties are consulting senior rabbis on their stance, and legal advisers warn the text risks being struck down by the High Court.