In an interview with Channel 12 News on Monday, Israeli Health and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel (Shas) discussed the Draft Law and argued that being charedi should not automatically disqualify someone from military service.
„Being charedi is not a reason to be exempt from military service,“ the speaker said, „particularly as someone who served in the army and in the reserves until he entered the Knesset and as one whose brothers served in the army, one of them becoming an officer in the IDF.“
He added, „I expect that anyone who studies Torah should not be charged with a crime in a Jewish state. Torah students should be valued as a community.
At the same time, Arbel said, „We should all work to recruit him for adapted military service, if he takes advantage of this exemption, does not study Torah, and tries to avoid military service by donning a black kippah.“
„A person who is not learning Torah is hitchhiking on the community“, he continued, adding that he had not seen the specifics of the draft regulation. He must serve in the military like every other citizen, so we won’t defend him.
The head of the Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism Party, MK Moshe Gafni, made it clear last week that the Draft Law will be put to a vote at the start of the Knesset’s winter session.
Gafni stated of the Draft Law that „many people are writing things, most of which have nothing to do with reality, as was the case this week as well.“ There is a clear understanding that the law will be introduced at the start of the winter session.
Gafni stated that he informed Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, this week that „all publicity about the issue is unnecessary, since the Draft Law is not a political law.“
Real facts exist. There are contracts. The submission of this useful law will occur at the start of the Knesset’s winter session.
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