The Government of Israel is requesting a four-month extension from the High Court of Justice regarding the deadline to pass a new draft bill into law. The current deadline has almost arrived, December 2, 2018, and clearly, the current administration hasn’t a chance to pass the bill before the deadline. The reason given to justify the request is the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

After speaking with the heads of coalition factions including the chareidi parties, PM Netanyahu has decided to make another request for yet another extension, now armed with the excuse of the defense minister’s resignation, perhaps sufficient for the court to agree to the request, or at least a shorter extension. For now, anything would represent a lifeline as the Prime Minister is working to keep the frail coalition afloat and avoid early elections. The scheduled end of term for this administration is November 2019.

If the court rejects the request, then on December 2nd, all bnei Torah become eligible to be drafted as there is no longer a law providing a legal draft deferment for them to remain in beis medrash. Alternatively, the court can and may unilaterally decide the fate of the bnei Torah without granting the government an extension since the government has clearly failed to legislate a law despite the court granting numerous extensions for different reasons.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)