Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Degel Hatorah faction, meet to discuss draft of yeshiva Bochurim.

For the first time in a while the Moetzes gedolei hatorah of the degel hatorah party convened at the home of Rav Aaron leib Shteinman. The moetzes is compromised of the senior litvisher roshei yeshiva in Eretz yisrael. The discussion  on hand was the current threat to draft yeshiva bochurim into the army and the current incitement against frum yidden in EY, both by the media and politicians.

Rav Shteinman opened the meeting by stating that since the founding of the state, the politicians even those who were not that religious understood the importance of torah study and refrained from interfering with the yeshivos. As the world could only survive with torah study. Unfortunately we have a situation where they want to interfere with torah learning and be mevatel torah chas veshalom. If that happens when will a young bochur ever learn torah? when he is 80 years old? torah study must be attained in the youthful years. Thats what yeshivos are for. If they go ahead and draft them, torah will be stopped. We need rachmei shomayim that this should not happen. For this purpose we have gathered to voice our pain and plea by the authorities not to interfere with the torah and those who study it. At the conclusion of the meeting the following statement was issued.

"We call our brethren everywhere, especially for bnei yeshiva and kollel youngeleit to strengthen Torah study and in particular the upcoming month of Elul.
 To our brothers who have wandered, we asked you please don't harm us, as the survival of klal yisrael throughout the years is only in the merit of limud hatorah and doing mitzvos.
Council of Torah Sages asks  from government leaders  to keep the status quo in reference to the exemption of yeshiva students  here in Eretz yisrael and not to change it at all. Yeshiva Bochrim who will get draft papers should report to the recruitment office, however, they should not sign any documents. 
"The eyes of all Israel are upon prayer that hashem will hasten the geulah and redeem us, and hopefully a new light will shine on zion  and hashem will be king of all the universe."

The line regarding not signing any documents is a change in protocol. Up to now the yeshiva students arrived for the first time the recruiting office, they would go through the regular process sign the pages, forms, etc. and finally pass a certain procedure given the status of 'exempt' which led to the rejection from year to year. Now, the yeshiva students are asked not to sign any document, which of course the problem now moves to the army rather than leave it up the yeshiva students. When they do meet requirements  they would receive a summons to the army recruitment office.
New members added to the Moetzes:

At the meeting they also added new members to the Moetzes including, Rav Berel Povarsky of Ponovez, Rav Boruch mordechai Ezrachi, Rav Aryeh Finkel of Mir, Rav Moshe Hilel Hirsch of Slabodka, Rav Dovid Cohen of Chevron (Givat Mordechai), Rav Dov Yafeh, Rav Adas RY of Kol yaakov. Also added to represent rav Elyashiv, as was done by other gedolim where they would appoint a son or son in law, on the advice of Rav Chaim Kanievsky they added his brother in law Rav Yitzchock Zilbershtein.