Israel enshrines ‘torah study’ in basic law and extends IDF conscription to 32 months

The Knesset passed a new quasi-constitutional measure declaring Torah study a "foundational value" of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Because Israel lacks a formal, written constitution, it relies on a series of "Basic Laws" to serve as its constitutional framework. This new legislation, championed by the government’s ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties, represents the first time Torah study has been elevated to this supreme legal status.

While its supporters, such as Degel HaTorah Chairman Moshe Gafni, celebrated the law as a historic recognition of the spiritual foundation that has preserved the Jewish people for millennia, critics and opposition leaders view it as a thinly veiled legal maneuver.

By enshrining religious study in constitutional law, the coalition seeks to create a defense against future High Court rulings that might otherwise mandate the military conscription of ultra-Orthodox men.

Prime Minister Netanyahu conspicuously absented himself from the vote, while some members of his own Likud party broke ranks to vote against the measure.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett fiercely condemned the legislation, labeling Netanyahu’s coalition the "government of the October Seven massacre" and accusing it of betraying the active-duty soldiers and reservists who bear the physical burden of defending the state.

As opposition parties and civil advocacy groups quickly petitioned the High Court to freeze and strike down the new law, the Knesset pressed forward with a flurry of other security and domestic bills. This included extending mandatory military service for regular soldiers to 32 months, a move the military itself warned is still insufficient to address its severe manpower shortages.