Following the impasse reached by Vice Premier Moshe Ya’alon and Kadima’s MK Yochanan Plesner, Ya’alon announced that while he and the Likud party are working to see how many chareidim they can bring into the military, Plesner seems more concerned with how many he can fine and imprison.

Since that occurrence before shabbos, Kadima has been signaling that if Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu does not accept the recommendations announced by Plesner, Kadima will be leaving the coalition.

Based on statements released by the prime minister on Sunday morning 25 Tammuz 5772 at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting he support his vice premier’s position, aware that if the chareidi tzibur are boxed into a corner, threatened with fines and sanctions; the end result will be the opposite of what he is trying to accomplish.

Mr. Netanyahu added that the number of chareidi inductees used to be minimal but it climbed to about 2,400 in 2011. He feels that if they continue in line with current arrangements that number will reach 6,000 inductees annually within four years. This is why he is not supporting calls for fines and sanctions on individuals for such a move will be counterproductive.

The prime minister told the cabinet ministers that he rejects the immediate induction of 18-year-old chareidim, simply stating “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. It is expected that his announcement will lead to the resignation of Kadima from the coalition.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)