Exemption at age 26, suspension of arrests: Bills seek to regulate yeshiva students' status

United Torah Judaism MKs Meir Porush and Elyakim Stark (United Torah Judaism) introduced on Wednesday two bills following the convening of the 26th Knesset, aimed at regulating the military service status of ultra-Orthodox (haredi) yeshiva students and married men studying in kollels.The first bill would allow yeshiva students to defer military service until age 26, while the second would immediately suspend arrest, investigation, and criminal enforcement proceedings against eligible students for one year.Under the first proposal, the defense minister would be authorized to grant military service deferments to yeshiva students who regularly engage in religious studies for at least 45 hours a week at a yeshiva or 40 hours a week at a kollel.Each deferment would be valid for up to one year and could be renewed until the student turns 26. At that age, the defense minister would grant the student a full exemption from mandatory military service.The bill also includes transitional provisions designed to retroactively regulate the status of yeshiva students during the period since the previous legal framework expired.Proposal calls for retroactive applicationUnder these provisions, students who met the study requirements before the new law takes effect would not face prosecution for failing to report for military service.