Government Does End Run Around Courts, Exempts Thousands More Haredim From Army

Non-haredi Israelis who carry the burden, serving in the army and sacrificing their lives to defend Israel, understand that the government is spitting in their faces.

     

IDF discharges thousands of haredim
After approving draft reform, government sends exemption letters to yeshiva students over age of 28 or with at least three children. 'This is a spit in the face of those carrying the burden,' says Rabbi Uri Regev of Hiddush association
Kobi Nahshoni • Ynet

Thousands of yeshiva students in recent weeks have received letters informing them that they have been exempt from military service.
 
The letters were sent following the ultra-Orthodox draft reform approved by the government earlier this year. A military official confirmed the details to Ynet.

The newly discharged men are yeshiva students over the age of 28, or younger yeshiva students who have at least three children.

Simultaneously, the government informed haredim over the age of 28 engaged in civilian service that they may end their service. Their names were transferred to the list of reserve soldiers.

Until the reform, most yeshiva students were in the status of "delayed service" under the "Torah is their profession" policy, and were expected to be discharged only at a later age and after meeting strict conditions related to their marital status and number of children.

The exemptions were given after a team headed by Prime Minister's Office Director-General Eyal Gabai suggested setting a target of about 5,000 people for haredi men's service for 2015.

According to Gabai's plan, yeshiva students aged 22 and up, married or single, would be exempt from military service if they engaged in civilian service for one year, men aged 26 would be allowed to serve for a shortened three-month period, and men aged 28 would be exempt from any military service.

The Hiddush association for freedom of religion said in response that the draft reform had been implemented although a petition against the Tal Law (which exempts yeshiva students from the army) was still waiting for a High Court ruling.
 
Until recently, and following the petitions, the government delayed the implementation of the exemption several times, but after the High Court failed to issue an interim order against its implementation – the plan was executed.
 
'Exemption campaign'

"The government has launched a mass campaign granting an exemption to yeshiva students and cancelling the people's army like a thief in the night, without even telling the public," said Hiddush Director Rabbi Uri Regev.
         
"It tried to do the same in the summer, when it first passed the reform. The implementation of the exemption began without notifying those who petitioned the High Court against the Tal Law, and probably without notifying the court either.

"The government has realized that its attempt to market the 'exemption reform' as a campaign boosting haredi enlistment has failed. The public carrying the burden, serving in the army and sacrificing its life to defend the State, understands that the government is spitting in its face."

Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report.

[Hat Tip: CS.]

Comments

[Yosef ben M.]

actually, the biggest scam in the military, is to study in kollel past the age of 25 or so. the avrekh then, is treated like a new immigrant that lans at this age, i.e. he does a very, very short and uneventfully safe service, after which, having served in the army, the avrekh qualifies for benefits given to those who served 3 years. assistance in acquiring lodging, loans etc...

[reb chaim]

Such exemptions for draft dodging yeshiva students will continue unabated until the government is no longer dependent on the votes of charedi parties in order to stay in power. These relatively minor parties continue to hold a gun to its head. Simply put, if they don't get what they want, they will threaten to force a vote of no confidence which if successful, means new elections. No ruling party wants to see such a scenario, and so, they simply opt to go along with the status quo. There won't be any real changes here until the balance in the Knesset changes significantly.

[Kenneth Greifer]

Do you really want to have the most religiously extreme people to have military training and experience? It might be better that they don't have military training because you don't what they will do with their training.

[emmylou]

Kenneth, you have a point. They should do 3 years of mandatory civilian service in jobs where they can't hurt anyone.

[Yoel Mechanic]

Do you really want to have the most religiously extreme people to have military training and experience?

They may be extremists, but not in *that* way. If they are further alienated from society the suggestions from this attitude would share the blame.