Should yeshiva students be required to enlist, with sanctions on those who do not?
Duty to enlist and enforcement
The duty to serve applies to yeshiva students too, with personal and budgetary enforcement against those who do not enlist
No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
No duty to enlist for yeshiva students: anchoring in law the status of Torah scholars, with an exemption from service for those whose Torah study is their vocation
In plenum votes the coalition parties almost always voted together. What sets Shas and United Torah Judaism apart is an action, not a vote: in July 2025 United Torah Judaism left the government and the coalition, and the Shas ministers resigned from the government. For the Arab lists, the opposition is to any compulsory conscription, not support for anchoring the status of Torah scholars.
"Said" is the platform, and statements and posts by the list's candidates. "Did" is plenum votes, bills and recorded acts in the 25th Knesset. The placement rests on all the evidence together. The votes are the outgoing Knesset's, not the 26th's.
רק
BeYachad
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement· Strong evidence
Said
2 platform sections · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
1 statement in the media · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
49 tweets · 49 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
כל אזרח במדינת ישראל יתגייס לצה״ל או יעשה שירות לאומי אזרחי לפי חוק שירות ביטחון, ללא פטורים - זה נכון לערבים ונכון גם לחרדים
Translation: “Every citizen of the State of Israel will enlist in the IDF or do civilian national service under the Defense Service Law, without exemptions - this is true for Arabs and true also for Haredim”
The parliamentary record here is that of the Yesh Atid faction in the 25th Knesset. Naftali Bennett's party did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
All sources (68)▾
רק
BeYachad
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement
Strong evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
Note: The parliamentary record here is that of the Yesh Atid faction in the 25th Knesset. Naftali Bennett's party did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
8 plenum votes · Official record
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 14, 2026
24 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 24 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
24 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 24 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement· Strong evidence
Said
1 platform section · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
1 statement in the media · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
10 tweets · 10 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
מי שלא יסדיר את מעמדו ולא ימלא את חובת השירות לא יוכל להמשיך ליהנות מאותן הטבות עודפות שהמדינה מעניקה כיום
Translation: “Whoever does not regularize their status and does not fulfill the service obligation will not be able to continue enjoying the same excess benefits that the state grants today”
The parliamentary record here is that of the Labor faction in the 25th Knesset. Meretz did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
All sources (23)▾
אמת
The Democrats
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement
Strong evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
Note: The parliamentary record here is that of the Labor faction in the 25th Knesset. Meretz did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
8 plenum votes · Official record
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 14, 2026
4 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 4 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
4 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 4 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Firm position: No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Partial evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
12 plenum votes · Official recordVotes marked "routine rejection" are private member's bills from the rival bloc in the preliminary reading, which are almost always rejected regardless of content, so they carry little weight.
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 14, 2026
28 of the list's MKs voted: 26 for, 2 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 13, 2026
30 of the list's MKs voted: 28 for, 2 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement· Partial evidence
Said
2 platform sections · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
2 statements in the media · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
2 tweets · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
כל אזרח יגיע ללשכת הגיוס, ומשם יחולקו לפי צורכי הצבא והעדפות המלש"ב בין שירות צבאי שיהיה בעדיפות, ולמסלולי שירות לאומי במשימות לאומיות. למעט פטורים רפואיים, על מי שלא ישרת יוטלו סנקציות ויישללו הטבות מהמדינה
Translation: “Every citizen will report to the draft office, and from there they will be divided, according to the army's needs and the draft candidate's preferences, between military service, which will have priority, and national service tracks in national missions. Except for medical exemptions, those who do not serve will face sanctions and be stripped of state benefits”
The list did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so it has no votes to check.
All sources (6)▾
די
The Reservists – The Economic Party
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement
Partial evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
2 platform sections · Published in the list's name · from 2 sources
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementSeptember 16, 2026
״כל אזרח יגיע ללשכת הגיוס, ומשם יחולקו לפי צורכי הצבא והעדפות המלש"ב בין שירות צבאי שיהיה בעדיפות, ולמסלולי שירות לאומי במשימות לאומיות. למעט פטורים רפואיים, על מי שלא ישרת יוטלו סנקציות ויישללו הטבות מהמדינה״
Translated from Hebrew: “Every citizen will report to the draft office, and from there they will be divided, according to the army's needs and the draft candidate's preferences, between military service, which will have priority, and national service tracks in national missions. Except for medical exemptions, those who do not serve will face sanctions and be stripped of state benefits”
From the platform the list published. The list's answer to the ynet questionnaire.
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students· Partial evidence
Said
2 statements in the media · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
היה חוק יסוד לימוד תורה רע מאוד, שהיה אפשר להבין ממנו שלימוד תורה פוטר משירות צבאי. התנגדנו וניצחנו
Translation: “There was a very bad Basic Law: Torah Study, from which one could understand that Torah study exempts from military service. We opposed and we won”
The current list is a technical bloc of Religious Zionism with Zehut, led by Moshe Feiglin, which did not sit in the 25th Knesset. The voting data reflects Religious Zionism only.
All sources (12)▾
ט
Religious Zionism–Zehut
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Partial evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
Note: The current list is a technical bloc of Religious Zionism with Zehut, led by Moshe Feiglin, which did not sit in the 25th Knesset. The voting data reflects Religious Zionism only.
9 plenum votes · Official recordVotes marked "routine rejection" are private member's bills from the rival bloc in the preliminary reading, which are almost always rejected regardless of content, so they carry little weight.
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 14, 2026
5 of the list's MKs voted: 4 for, 1 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 13, 2026
7 of the list's MKs voted: 7 for, 0 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students· Strong evidence
Said
1 platform section · 1 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
אין להטיל סנקציות על אדם שבוחר שלא להתגייס. במקום להעניש אזרחים, צריך לפעול לסיום הכיבוש והמלחמות ולבניית מציאות שבה אין צורך לגייס עוד ועוד אנשים לצבא
Translation: “Sanctions must not be imposed on a person who chooses not to enlist. Instead of punishing citizens, we must work to end the occupation and the wars and to build a reality in which there is no need to draft more and more people into the army”
The parliamentary record here is that of the Hadash–Ta'al faction in the 25th Knesset only. Balad did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
All sources (7)▾
ודם
Joint List
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Strong evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
Note: The parliamentary record here is that of the Hadash–Ta'al faction in the 25th Knesset only. Balad did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so part of the current list is not represented in the voting data.
5 plenum votes · Official record
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 14, 2026
3 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 3 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
4 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 4 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsDecember 24, 2025
2 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 2 against. A vote for imposes a sanction on ministers who did not fulfill the military service obligation by excluding them from national security committees and from certain positions. The list voted against its bloc's line in this vote.
Firm position: No duty to enlist for yeshiva students· Strong evidence
Said
3 statements in the media · 3 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
מבחינתנו החוק הנכון הוא חוק שמדבר על מי שיושב ולומד, שתורתו אומנותו, וזה שיושב ולומד לא אמור גם לקבל סנקציות
Translation: “As far as we're concerned, the right law is one that speaks of whoever sits and studies, whose Torah is his calling, and whoever sits and studies should not also face sanctions”
Firm position: No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Strong evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
8 plenum votes · Official recordVotes marked "routine rejection" are private member's bills from the rival bloc in the preliminary reading, which are almost always rejected regardless of content, so they carry little weight.
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 14, 2026
7 of the list's MKs voted: 7 for, 0 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 13, 2026
7 of the list's MKs voted: 7 for, 0 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement· Partial evidence
Said
1 platform section · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
1 statement in the media · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
25 tweets · 25 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
משתמט או עריק - יהיה נתון לשלילת הטבות אזרחיות וכלכליות רחבה ולדין פלילי. בין הסנקציות: שלילת השתתפות במכרזי מדינה, מלגות מל"ג ומשרד העבודה, הנחות בארנונה, הטבות דיור ומס.
Translation: “A draft dodger or deserter - will be subject to broad revocation of civil and economic benefits and to criminal prosecution. Among the sanctions: denial of participation in state tenders, Council for Higher Education and Labor Ministry scholarships, property tax discounts, housing and tax benefits.”
The votes here are the personal votes of the list's candidates who served in the 25th Knesset, not votes by the list.
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
6 votes by the list's candidates in the outgoing Knesset · Official recordThe list itself did not serve in the 25th Knesset, so these are the personal votes of its candidates who did serve, not votes by the list.
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 14, 2026
3 of the list's candidates who served in the 25th Knesset voted: 0 for, 3 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
3 of the list's candidates who served in the 25th Knesset voted: 0 for, 3 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementFebruary 4, 2026
2 of the list's candidates who served in the 25th Knesset voted: 2 for, 0 against. For = to impose a financial sanction on anyone who does not fulfill the service obligation
Firm position: Duty to enlist and enforcement· Strong evidence
Said
2 platform sections · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
2 statements in the media · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
31 tweets · 31 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
העברת חוק גיוס חובה לכולם. כל צעיר וצעירה בני 18: יהודים, מוסלמים, נוצרים, דרוזים וצ'רקסים, יחויבו בשירות צבאי או אזרחי.
Translation: “Passing a mandatory conscription law for everyone. Every young man and woman aged 18: Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Circassians, will be required to do military or civilian service.”
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
6 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 6 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students· Partial evidence
Said
2 statements in the media · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement" · 1 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
הוכחנו שאפשר לשלב חרדים בשירות משמעותי ולחזק את ביטחון ישראל, בלי לפגוע באורח חייהם.
Translation: “We proved that it is possible to integrate Haredim into meaningful service and strengthen Israel's security, without harming their way of life.”
Leaning toward No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Partial evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
8 plenum votes · Official recordVotes marked "routine rejection" are private member's bills from the rival bloc in the preliminary reading, which are almost always rejected regardless of content, so they carry little weight.
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 14, 2026
6 of the list's MKs voted: 6 for, 0 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 13, 2026
6 of the list's MKs voted: 6 for, 0 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Leaning toward Duty to enlist and enforcement· Partial evidence
Said
1 platform section · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
1 statement in the media · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
1 tweet · 1 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"
עמך ישראל תומכת בשילוב חרדים בצה"ל ותפעל לקידום חוק משרתים שייצג צדק והוגנות. חקיקת חוק זה לפני השבעת הממשלה מהווה תנאי סף עבור כניסתנו לכל ממשלה.
Translation: “Amcha Yisrael supports the integration of Haredim into the IDF and will act to advance a 'Those Who Serve' Law that will represent justice and fairness. Enacting this law before the government is sworn in is a threshold condition for our entry into any government.”
The list did not sit in the 25th Knesset, so it has no votes to check.
All sources (3)▾
ך
Amcha Yisrael
Leaning toward Duty to enlist and enforcement
Partial evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
1 platform section · Published in the list's name
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementSeptember 16, 2026
״עמך ישראל תומכת בשילוב חרדים בצה"ל ותפעל לקידום חוק משרתים שייצג צדק והוגנות. חקיקת חוק זה לפני השבעת הממשלה מהווה תנאי סף עבור כניסתנו לכל ממשלה.״
Translated from Hebrew: “Amcha Yisrael supports the integration of Haredim into the IDF and will act to advance a 'Those Who Serve' Law that will represent justice and fairness. Enacting this law before the government is sworn in is a threshold condition for our entry into any government.”
From the platform the list published. The list's answer to the ynet questionnaire.
Asked, and did not answer. Ra'am declined to answer the questionnaire ynet sent to the parties on Haredi conscription. The list did provide its position on the conscription of young Arabs. (ynet, 2026-09-16)
Did
3 plenum votes · 2 toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement" · 1 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
5 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 5 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
Asked, and did not answer. Ra'am declined to answer the questionnaire ynet sent to the parties on Haredi conscription. The list did provide its position on the conscription of young Arabs. (ynet, 2026-09-16)
3 plenum votes · Official record
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 14, 2026
5 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 5 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: Duty to enlist and enforcementJuly 13, 2026
4 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 4 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJune 26, 2024
4 of the list's MKs voted: 0 for, 4 against. For = to require mandatory service for all citizens, including Haredim The list voted against its bloc's line in this vote.
Firm position: No duty to enlist for yeshiva students· Strong evidence
Said
2 statements in the media · 2 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
6 tweets · 6 toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
אישורו בקריאה הראשונה של חוק יסוד: לימוד תורה שתנועת ש"ס הובילה בנחישות, הוא תחילתו של תיקון היסטורי והכרה של מדינת ישראל בערכה העליון של התורה ובמעמדם של לומדי התורה
Translation: “Its approval in the first reading of Basic Law: Torah Study, which the Shas movement led with determination, is the beginning of a historic correction and of recognition by the State of Israel of the supreme value of the Torah and of the status of Torah learners”
Firm position: No duty to enlist for yeshiva students
Strong evidence
What it rests on
Toward "Duty to enlist and enforcement"Toward "No duty to enlist for yeshiva students"
8 plenum votes · Official recordVotes marked "routine rejection" are private member's bills from the rival bloc in the preliminary reading, which are almost always rejected regardless of content, so they carry little weight.
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 14, 2026
11 of the list's MKs voted: 11 for, 0 against. For = to freeze arrests of yeshiva students who have not enlisted
Toward: No duty to enlist for yeshiva studentsJuly 13, 2026
11 of the list's MKs voted: 11 for, 0 against. For = to enshrine in a Basic Law Torah study as a fundamental value of the state (Basic Law: Torah Study, third reading)
