Attorney General decides: Haredi draft dodgers who won "discounted apartments" will keep their winnings and not be retroactively harmed
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued a decision stating that sanctions preventing Haredi draft dodgers from registering for discounted apartment lotteries will not apply retroactively. The implication: conscripts who have already won will be able to sign contracts, but winners on hold can only sign if their eligibility certificate is valid.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued a significant decision on Wednesday regarding sanctions imposed on Haredi individuals evading military service who won discounted apartment lotteries. The decision determines that current sanctions, which prevent draft dodgers from registering for discounted apartment lotteries, will not apply retroactively. The practical implication is that conscripts who have already won the lottery will be able to sign a purchase contract. However, winners on hold will only be able to sign a contract if their eligibility certificate is valid; if it has expired, it cannot be renewed in the case of draft dodgers. The decision comes against the backdrop of a High Court of Justice ruling from last April, which determined that a series of benefits for Haredi draft dodgers must be canceled, including eligibility for discounted apartments, municipal tax discounts, and public transportation discounts. Subsequently, Baharav-Miara published a document detailing steps against the evaders, including revocation of the municipal tax discount, revocation of public transportation benefits, revocation of rental assistance, and revocation of subsidies for apartment purchases. The current decision clarifies the limits of the sanctions' applicability.