Off duty hesder soldiers can be seen in areas of the country manning a “Saving the IDF” table, the campaign to explain why integrating women into all IDF units is not just a bad idea, but against the opinion of many military experts. A table was seen on Thursday morning at Machane Yehuda as religious men distributed literature and at times, argued the point with women who felt their time has come.
The military is not showing any understanding for the off-duty soldiers or their right to voice an opinion, and is working to shut down the campaign which is contrary to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott’s master plan which places integration of women into all units as the highest priority.
The hesder soldiers, once regarded for their commitment and years of reserve duty service during an era when more and more reservists prefer to ignore the annual call-up, are being thrust aside to make room for Eizenkott’s new age integrated IDF.
Taking it to the extreme, the IDF spokesman unit is comparing the off-duty hesder campaign to recent protests of the Peleg Yerushalmi which calls for absolute refusal to enter the IDF under any circumstances whatsoever, paying the ultimate price to avoid it if need be.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
For the Haredi to refuse army service is actually understandable as long as it is in an appropriate manner and if indeed there is no attempt in the IDF to accomodate their religous beliefs and practices. It is possible Nahal Haredi or the like may be a good answer.
However!! to force what even Mizrahi consider against religous beliefs such as integrated units with possible co-ed sleeping quarters or bathrooms or worse or college dorm like promiscuity pressed on the recruits is Unacceptable. It is indeed History that in the early years of the State Religous youth were PRESSURED to abandaon their religoun such as Holocaust orphans from the Tehran episode or Yemenite children forcedly adopted by secular families. This is like Soviet Communist practices. A whole draft age population can not be forced to accept secular standards in a JEWISH and Free state!
“Taking it to the extreme, the IDF spokesman unit is comparing the off-duty hesder campaign to recent protests of the Peleg Yerushalmi which calls for absolute refusal to enter the IDF under any circumstances whatsoever, paying the ultimate price to avoid it if need be.”
Actually this is not so far fetched. Neither group trusts the management of the IDF. Indeed, many of the National Religious are starting to understand the fundamental distrust the Hareidim have always had for the Israeli regime. After seeing community after community destroyed by the regime, many are questioning the very idea of the “holy” State and their relationship to it.
No women in IDF, please!
#2 Aryeh Zelasko
If the commenters are going to get technical, it seems to me that in the Torah only people who did not sin are allowed to fight in the Army to defend the Jewish people so only the ‘charadim’ who obviously are soooo very religious and close to HaShem should be in the army and all seculars should be booted out of the IDF…
No freedom in israel!
Best proof that chareidim were right all along for refusing to be drafted to the Shmad Army.