Coalition chairman MK (Likud) David Amsellem is sending positive signals to chareidi lawmakers, convening relevant persons on Thursday to advance moving the bill ahead.

Colonel Tzachi Rabibo, deputy commander of Metav, gave the committee data on national service, saying that 1,380 talmidei yeshivos are currently performing national civil service, the vast majority of whom are married, of whom only 170 are bachelors.

The director-general of the National Civil Service Authority, Reuven Pinsky, proposed reducing the age of entry to civilian service in order to encourage volunteering for civilian service.

Pinsky also offered to update the amount of an economic allowance, which was given to volunteers; and to increase the security track by means of preparatory courses for employment in the last year of volunteering. The director-general proposed offering training courses for employment in the security track, as well as determining the bodies in which it would be possible to volunteer as part of the national service, including educational institutions, medicine, local authorities.

MK (Yesh Atid) Elazar Stern responded to the proposal by National Service representatives and said that “integrating chareidim into the labor market is a challenge of strategic importance. However, you brazenly come up with a seemingly good idea and ask to include clauses including reducing the short period of service in favor of training for employment.”

Committee Chairman Amsalem said that he “proposes to deal with the amendments and incentives offered in a direct amendment to the National Service Law and not within the framework of the current bill.”

The committee discussed the financial sanctions on institutions that will not meet the recruitment targets. The chairman of the committee asked the Finance Ministry to reach a formula for sanctions by Tuesday: “I intend to convene summaries and wording of the provisions of the law in light of the agreements reached during the coming week,” said Amsellem.

Attorney Miriam Grazi Rosenbaum of the Ministry of Education wanted to add to the list of institutions that meet the recruitment targets, also frameworks for at-risk youth, that is, about 120 students studying in ‘HILA’ frameworks for youth who have dropped out of educational institutions.

MK (Bayit Yehudi) Bezalel Smotrich also asked to add the Chabad and Sanz chassidim mosdos that will also be included as recognized institutions.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)