According to State Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, the expiration of the Tal Law at the end of July 2012 will not impact the legal status of those Israelis enrolled in a civil service program, sending a clear message to the chareidim serving in one of these accepted programs that they needn’t worry about a draft notice or a change in their legal status.

The attorney general responded to an inquiry from the head of the nation’s national/civil service programs, who wished to obtain an official legal opinion as how the agency must act following the expiration of the Tal Law since tens of thousands of chareidim are now without a legal umbrella permitting them to avoid military service.

There are currently 2,000 chareidim serving in an approved program that began before the Tal Law expired and this prompted the inquiry to the attorney general.

Officials in the Defense Ministry have signaled they accept and support the attorney general’s position vis-à-vis the national service members, confirming they are exempt from being drafted.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)