Politicians slammed United Torah Judaism (UTJ) head Yitzhak Goldknopf after he appeared to liken imprisoned haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft evaders to the hostages held in Hamas captivity in a letter penned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.
Goldknopf’s letter first welcomed Israel’s recent progress toward reaching a hostage deal.
He then wrote that he would like “to take the opportunity” to remind Netanyahu about the draft dodgers “who are also sitting in prison in Israel during these High Holy Days” after being arrested for “the crime of Torah learning.”
“I request that you act immediately to release them from prison during these holidays so that they can celebrate with their family members during Sukkot,” Goldknopf wrote.
His remarks come amid controversy in the country over the issue of haredi conscription, while the IDF continues to report having severe staffing shortages, and as Israel nears the two-year war mark and counting.
The government has yet to pass legislation that would mandate haredi enlistment in the military. UTJ withdrew from the coalition in July following disputes over the proposed draft law, which sought to advance such conscription efforts.
Goldknopf’s letter sparked outrage among MKs and politicians, who criticized him for suggesting a comparison between the imprisoned draft evaders and the hostages.
Comparison between the two 'simply disgraceful,' Bennett says
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett called the parallel “simply disgraceful,” blasting the government for being, as he put it, “built on a dark alliance between [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich, Netanyahu, and Goldknopf, which is currently educating hundreds of thousands of children with this same distorted anti-Zionist worldview.”
“Very soon, we will replace this group, this government of failure and decay, and open a new and wonderful chapter for the people of Israel,” he added in reference to his political party, Bennett 2026, which is set to compete in the next election.
Former chief of staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Gadi Eisenkot, who heads the Yashar! The party, which is also running in the upcoming elections, called the letter shameful, adding that it was “a manifestation of what will no longer happen in a renewed, decent Israel.”
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ערב סוכות התשפ״ו, שנתיים לשבעה באוקטובר. מהבוקר ששינה את פני מדינת ישראל והחברה שלנו לנצח, בתוך מחדל צבאי ועיוורון של מנהיגות מנוכרת- האירה לנו ועמדה לזכותנו, הסולידריות בחברה הישראלית: אזרחים ואזרחיות, אנשי ונשות מילואים וכיתות כוננות שקפצו לאש. להציל את אחינו ואחיותינו, להגן על…
— Gadi Eisenkot - גדי איזנקוט (@gadi_eisenkot) October 6, 2025
He called on Goldknopf to “disappear from our public life and be replaced by young men and women, servants of this nation, who are committed to it and worthy of it.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) also responded to the letter, writing on X/Twitter that “Goldknopf and his gang have lost their minds.”
“The hostages are dying while [Goldknopf] and his ultra-Orthodox, draft-dodging followers continue to be a group of spoiled, privileged people who somehow believe that they have the right to evade military service while the IDF fights to protect their lives, cushioned by government funds,” Lapid added.
The newly formed Reservists Party, which advocates for mandatory army service for all and was founded by reservists, also harshly criticized Goldknopf’s letter.
“Instead of issuing a letter of gratitude to the tens of thousands of reservists who will once again spend Sukkot guarding the country’s borders so that you and your draft-dodging friends can celebrate, you asked the prime minister to release the ‘prisoners of the world of Torah,’” its statement read.
“These are fateful days for the State of Israel, and you and your colleagues are doing everything possible to prevent the enlistment of the ultra-Orthodox, to avoid easing the burden on reservists, and to strengthen draft dodgers – criminals who break the law,” the party added.