Knesset coalition chairman, MK (Likud) David Amsellem on Sunday, 8 Elul, expressed criticism against the High Court of Justice in regard to the extension for the Draft Law. Amsellem questioned the court, explaining that if the government explained it requires seven months to legislate a new draft law, why would the court only grant a three-month extension.
Amsellem was interviewed by Radio 103FM, stating “We asked for seven months so why did they only grant us three?” Amsellem feels the High Court should not become involved in the matter of the draft. “The High Court judges are disconnected from the event. Is the court fed up? It’s not a private business but it’s a responsible state, and the High Court’s intervention is not appropriate. Recruitment is a social matter rather than a legal issue. If there is no law, who will enlist the chareidim? What will they do? Will they send the police to recruit the chareidim? The law must be legislated with understanding.” he said.
According to him, without the draft law the government will fall apart. “If we do not succeed in passing the draft law, we will go to elections” he said.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
how does the picture fit with the article?
Why don’t they petition the High Court as to why there is discrimination and ISRAELI ARABS aren’t drafted? Maybe then people will wake up from this whole “share the burden” hypocrisy and keep frum kids out of the secular leftist IDF.
The English phrase is a “fool’s errand” – undertaking a task that is not capable of being accomplished.
A significant percentage of hareidim are conscientious objectors. However Israel can’t admit that since it would lessen the legitimacy of the state in the eyes of many Israelis – so the compromise has been that the frum conscientious objectors would be exempt on grounds they were busy learning Torah. While that is true of many, and it is easy to list someone as a member of a kollel and then hold that a member of a kollel is learning Torah, the reason many hareidim are refusing to serve in the army is they object to the zionist state – not that they are “busy” learning. Zionism can not acknowledge the legitimacy of Jewish conscientious objection to zionism.
Then there is the problem that in order to make the army tolerable for those frum Jews who want to serve, they have to make it intolerable for many of the secular Jews. The army could acknowledge that Israel has two separate groups with totally different cultural, social and religious values, but that would go against the zionist ideology of holding that Klal Yisrael is still “one” people.
And there is the last problem in that most Israelis regard learning Torah has an hobby or recreational avocation, such as playing chess, or reading books, or sports, or arts – something you do on your own time and your own dime, whereas a considerable minority sees learning Torah as a critical aspect of national survival, and therefore sees full time Torah students as doing a vital national service that should be supported by the state.
The only solution is to abolish conscription, and rely on economic incentives to recruit soldiers. This is what almost all other Democratic do (Turkey, Taiwan and South Korea excepted).
docelisheva ,
Sorry ,we are supposed to be better than the Arabs
Stop bringing us down to their common denominator
Either agree to deal or be opposed,but the incessant “treat us like them”will hurt us ,backfire ,and deservedly