Attorney general enforces accountability on yeshivas, exposing internal resistance while countering narratives often exploited by hostile actors.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has issued a significant ruling impacting yeshiva institutions, declaring that those hosting draft-eligible students who fail to report for Israel Defense Forces service will lose eligibility for donor tax benefits. The decision specifically removes access to income tax credits under Section 46, a measure designed to ensure fairness and shared national responsibility.
The ruling is being framed as part of a broader effort to reinforce equal civic duty at a time when Israel faces ongoing security challenges. By tying financial incentives to compliance with national service obligations, authorities aim to close long-standing gaps that have drawn public debate and criticism.
Haredi political leaders reacted sharply. MK Moshe Gafni condemned the move as an ideological attack on the Torah community, accusing the attorney general of overreach and targeting religious institutions. He also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allowing the decision to proceed.
Similarly, United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzhak Goldknopf argued that the policy misuses a legal mechanism intended to encourage charitable contributions. He described the step as collective punishment and warned it could undermine support for Torah scholars.
Supporters of the ruling, however, view it as a necessary step toward strengthening Israel’s internal cohesion and ensuring that all sectors contribute equally to national defense, particularly amid heightened regional tensions and persistent external threats.
