High Court sets 30-day deadline for arnona sanctions decision

The High Court ruled Wednesday that the new Interior Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, must decide within 30 days whether and how to condition arnona (municipal tax) discounts on regularising status with the IDF for those called to service. The decision comes shortly after the government approved Sa'ar's appointment as Interior Minister alongside his role as Foreign Minister.

At the same time, the Finance Minister and Transport Minister were ordered to decide on public-transport discounts within 21 days. The justices emphasised in their ruling that this is not "merely" about implementing a court order, but about enforcing the law that establishes universal and equal conscription.

A decision with broad implications

The High Court's ruling is a direct continuation of previous decisions on the draft obligation, and places clear responsibility on the new government ministers to make policy decisions on this sensitive issue. The justices clarified that the matter stands at the heart of the principle of equality in burden-sharing, and not only in the technical aspect of implementing a court ruling.

The decision comes against the backdrop of political tension surrounding the chareidi draft issue, and while contacts are underway between the chareidi parties and the Change Bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot. According to reports, the chareidi parties are demanding a transition period without sanctions, while the Change Bloc has committed to enforcing the draft law.

The chareidi parties (Oren Ben Hakon/Flash 90)

A tight timeline for the ministers

The timeline set by the court presents a significant challenge for the ministers involved. Sa'ar, who has just entered the Interior Ministry post alongside his role as Foreign Minister, will be required to examine the complex issue and make a policy decision within just one month. The Finance Minister and Transport Minister will also need to decide on public-transport discounts within three weeks.

The decision is expected to affect thousands of families in the chareidi sector. The question of whether arnona and public-transport discounts will be conditioned on regularising status with the IDF could serve as a significant lever for enforcing the draft law, but may also lead to political and social tension.

It should be noted that updated arnona discount regulations for 2026 were previously published, linking the income threshold to the minimum wage for the first time. However, the question of whether these discounts will be conditioned on regularising status with the IDF remained open, and will now be decided by the Interior Minister in accordance with the court's ruling.