Gadi Eizenkot on the new law proposal: "A disgraceful decision"

As part of the coalition agreement with the Torah Judaism party, it was stipulated that the government would advance a Basic Law that would regulate the status of Torah learners before the budget transfer. Due to delays in promoting the law, MK Moshe Gafni, along with Knesset members Yaakov Asher, Eli Ben-Dahan, Moshe Gafni, Yaakov Tessler, Yitzhak Pindrus, and Israel Eichler, submitted a private bill that would establish the value of Torah study and the unique status of Torah learners.

The utmost importance seen in encouraging Torah study

In the proposed law, it is written that "the State of Israel, as a Jewish state, sees the utmost importance in encouraging Torah study and Torah scholars." Accordingly, the initiators of the law propose to properly anchor in the Basic Law the significant importance and value that the country attributes to Torah study, and its desire to promote Torah learning.

The law also stipulates that "those who undertake to devote themselves to Torah study for a significant period shall be considered as serving and contributing significantly to the State of Israel and the Jewish people, with implications for their rights and obligations." A central clause in the proposed law addresses a ruling by the Supreme Court that sought to address the issue of enlisting yeshiva students. The initiators of the law argue that the Basic Law of Torah Study will clarify to the Supreme Court that the Knesset supports the recognition of the centrality of Torah study.

According to MK Moshe Gafni, "In the coalition agreement, it was agreed that this bill would be a government bill, but it was not done according to the agreed timetable. Therefore, we decided to submit the law as a private member's bill on behalf of the entire faction so that we can advance the law immediately at the beginning of the winter session."