Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon is troubled by the decisions made on Monday 10 Adar I 5774 by the Shaked Committee. The major issue for the senior minister is the committee’s decision to curtail mandatory military service for men from 36 months to 32 months, while not accepting the recommendation to lengthen service for women from 24 to 28 months.
Committee members explained that last year, only 57% of eligible women enlisted so they feel it is unfair to add four months to their service as about half of the women do not serve at all. They feel that adding to the service for women would be perceived a punishing those who serve.
Ya’alon explained that the matter of service for men and women “is a package deal” and by curtailing the service of one group without lengthening the service of the other will result in a manpower shortage in certain areas. Minister of Environmental Affairs (The Movement) Yair Peretz adds that this new reality will compel additional service by IDF reservists.
In addition, Ya’alon and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz feel hesder soldiers must serve 24 months. The committee on Monday tried to extend the military service for hesder soldiers by one month, from 16 to 17 months, but it was defeated. MK (The Movement) Elazar Stern demanded a revote in the hope of compelling hesder soldiers to serve 24 months, in line with the position of Ya’alon and Gantz.
There is no question that despite Bayit Yehudi’s best efforts to protect hesder, its flagship yeshiva program, hesder is under fire. Members of the committee simply do not understand why these able bodied soldiers only serve 16 months. Adding to the animosity during Monday’s meeting was the fact they learned if a hesder talmid marries during the 60 month program, of which only 16 months are in active IDF service and the remainder in beis medrash, he is entitled to state funding if he marries. Committee members learned if a hesder talmid marries and has a child the state may pay him and his wife as much as 3,000 NIS monthly while he studies and his wife attends university. Committee members are having a difficult time understanding this arrangement when the same is not true for regular non-hesder soldiers. To Bennett’s dismay, the committee has come to the realization that in its eyes, the hesder service is not impressive.
What is becoming increasingly clear is the effort to compel chareidim to serve in the IDF, one that is backed whole heartedly by Bennett and his Bayit Yehudi party, may explode in his face and that of hesder rabbonim. What is equally clear is that this committee is nowhere near reaching agreement.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Israel has a 20th century military establishment with a major mission of being a zionist “melting pot” – and is totally irrelevant to a 21st century war in which one needs dedicated professional soldiers. There are good reasons why most country’s abolished conscription.