The Ministerial Committee finalizing the new chareidi draft law headed by MK (Bayit Yehudi) Ayelet Shaked met on Tuesday morning, 2 Kislev 5774. The meeting was intended to discuss draft goals and ramifications, but the atmosphere turned hostile quite early into the meeting. Yesh Atid MK Ofir Shelah accused the chareidim of inciting the situation and trying to launch a cultural war in Israel. Yahadut Hatorah MK Moshe Gafne exploded and laced into Shelah as well as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
The meeting began by addressing Paragraph 16.3 of the law, which states the chareidi community must meet the goals set by 2017, which calls for the induction of all eligible draft age males with the exception of 1,800 talmidim who will receive a deferment. MK Meir Porush stated that if the powers that be feel they will draft the bnei yeshivos without considering the law is viewed challenging the yeshiva way of life they are grossly mistaken.
“One may look at the chareidi tzibur feeling it seeks special privileges and expects consideration, but we are living in the State of Israel which was established by people who wanted a Jewish country. The chareidi community said, says and will say if chas v’sholom talmidei yeshivos will be drafted it will no longer be our homeland with all the implications this carries.”
MK Shelah stated “if a solution is not reached by this committee by December, then all the chareidim will be drafted and that will result in a situation neither the chareidim nor the IDF are prepared for, or alternatively, the IDF’s induction mechanism will collapse.”
“There is a tzibur in Israel that regards the law as a subject for negotiations while on the other side there are those who view the law as something that must be obeyed. The law is now offering generous goals towards beginning to solve this problem which was created 75 years ago when the mandatory induction law was not applied” added Shelah.
Shelah then turned to the chareidi MKs participating in the meeting warning them that if they incite the tzibur and push the cultural war button, “the fire will be on your shoulders not ours”.
Gafne then had his turn, questioning “How is it that there is a large party in Knesset today that compels a cultural war. It does not start or end with the draft law. Bottom line, the question on the table is if the State of Israel is a Jewish country or not or perhaps, you do not want a Jewish country but prefer a national like all other nations.”
“I am furious with the prime minister” added Gafne, for this is a central issue for the Jewish People in the State of Israel. What is this — that he stands along the sidelines and does not speak out on this matter? We will not forgive. He must hear all the sides. So what if we are in opposition? This is a matter that will split the nation” added Gafne.
Gafne admitted the chareidim questioned if they should participate in the committee sessions, showering Ayelet Shaked with praise for her handling of the sensitive issues at hand. He complimented her effort to exhibit objectivity but added the truth is that the law equates one studying Torah with being a criminal and they, the chareidim, will have no part of such a law.
Shaked explained she sat with the Knesset legal advisor and discussed possible fiscal sanctions against chareidim who fail to comply with the law, including sanctions impacting one’s mortgage and annual arnona property tax reductions. Shaked feels one who does not serve in the military should not be entitled to state assistance.
Einat Fischer, the legal advisor to Minister Yaakov Peri, whose committee wrote the basic draft of the induction law, explained way back when they suggested financial sanctions against avreichim who do not comply but there was an outcry. That led to shifting those sanctions to making non-compliance a violation of the penal code.
Fischer added that they discussed the matter of the financial sanctions with the experts and policy makers in the Ministry of Justice and they feel it is incorrect to levy financial sanctions against avreichim for the assistance they receive is a social matter and this should not be pulled into the induction law.
Shas MK Ariel Atias questioned Fischer’s statements, reminding participants the government has already decided if a couple does not meet the minimum monthly earning requirements set, that couple will lose a measure of their state assistance. He feels that decision conflicts with the Justice Ministry’s position too.
Shaked stated she will be seeking an official opinion from the Justice Ministry for she sees nothing wrong with financial penalties against persons who do not comply, and this would be in the form of cutting government benefits.
Another Justice Ministry official present, Iya Dvir pointed out the way she understands the process is that the law is not compulsory. That is to say one has the option of pushing off induction forever for as long as one is willing to forgo state assistance. Dvir explains that if the matter is not a violation of the penal code, then it is not a crime and it is a matter of being willing to give up state assistance and never serving.
Shaked called on the Knesset attorney and Ministry of Justice to formulate legal opinion on the key issues.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
He should be happy he was invited to the meeting. Did the Germans invite any Jews to the Wanasee conference? Do you really think any Cherokees were in on planning the “Trail of tears”? The commitee’s function is to destroy the Torah world, and they are being conscientious. Those who thought they could be good hareidim and good zionists have to make a choice (submit or resist, all other options have been removed).