Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has sharply condemned former Sephardi chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef’s recent statement that Haredi men who are not studying in yeshiva should not be required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
Netanyahu’s office described Yosef’s comments as “unacceptable and worthy of all condemnation,” emphasizing the government's commitment to national unity and military service for all citizens.
The statement follows growing tensions surrounding military exemptions for the Haredi community after the High Court ruled in June that longstanding exemptions were illegal.
In a broader context, Netanyahu’s coalition partners have been advocating for legislation to regulate military exemptions for yeshiva students, while religious and political Haredi leaders continue to resist any draft efforts.
Yosef's remarks also drew fierce backlash from opposition leaders. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid called the statement "crossing a red line" and a direct threat to Israel’s democracy, while National Unity's Benny Gantz and Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman labeled the comments dangerous, with Liberman warning that such rhetoric undermines national unity and resilience.
* The Time of Israel contributed to this article.
