The Shaked Committee convened again on Tuesday, 25 Adar I 5774 as members discussed the guidelines to determine who will be classified as a chareidi for purposes of the new draft law. While a final decision is pending, the committee is headed towards criteria that include a talmid having studied in a chareidi institution for at least two years between the ages of 14-18.

Committee member MK (Yesh Atid) Ofir Shelach stated the IDF does not really want the chareidim in the military for if it did, it would have enforced the Tal Law. Shelach added the definition of “who is a chareidi” must be clear so the necessary determination can be made to permit recruitment officials to target the correct individuals. He wants to make sure that chareidim are inducted towards meeting annual chareidi recruitment goals and not others, and he does not want to have people whom are rejected by the IDF counted among the chareidi inductees towards meeting the annual target number.

He stated it is clear the failure of the Tal Law was the result of the IDF not really enforcing the law for it did not want the chareidi inductees.

The IDF representative to the committee, Brigadier-General Gadi Agmon rejected the allegation that the military did not wish to induct chareidim, adding the committee today must set more defined goals. “I expect a gradual increase in the number of chareidi recruits among the annual draft eligible chareidi men,” he added, stating the situation in 2020 will be different than in 2013.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)