High Court Says No Money for Yeshivas whose Students Don’t Enlist

The Israeli Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government to cease all funding of yeshivas whose students do not enlist in the IDF.

The decision struck in one blow further sealed the fate of Haredi leaders fighting the “equal burden” policy pursued by Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid and also gave him a needed boost in popularity polls that are bound to return to his party several seats that surveys have projected he will lose in the next election.

The ruling affects yeshiva students who are ages 18 to 20 but only affects those yeshiva that are funded by the Education Ministry.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s has decided to delay their draft date, but the court still has not discussed an appeal that seeks to eliminate the delay and order the yeshiva students to enlist immediately.