Haredi Lawmakers Hail Torah Study Bill as “Holy War”

by | Jun 10, 2026 | News

a man standing in front of a wall covered in newspapers

The Israeli Knesset advanced a controversial Basic Law bill Wednesday that would enshrine Torah study as a foundational national value, drawing fierce celebration from ultra-Orthodox lawmakers and equally fierce opposition from critics.

United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler called the vote “a declaration of holy war” against those who “persecute the Torah,” while fellow UTJ lawmaker Meir Porush branded bill opponents “antisemites” and “enemies of Torah.” UTJ chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf framed it as “correcting a four-year injustice.”

The legislation is rooted in the long-running controversy over military exemptions for Haredi men, which intensified dramatically after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the ensuing war. A 2024 High Court ruling declared those exemptions unconstitutional, leading to cuts in state benefits for yeshiva students.

The bill now moves to committee and requires three additional Knesset readings before becoming law.

+ posts