Ex-IDF Financial Advisor Slams Sanctions on Haredi Students
A former senior financial advisor to the IDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier General (Res.) Ram Aminach, has strongly criticized the recent wave of economic sanctions targeting young Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men studying in yeshivas. Aminach, who also served on the General Staff Forum and is currently on the board of the Institute for National Security Studies, described the measures as "persecution out of hatred" and called for a complete halt to what he termed "punitive actions" against them. He argued that these sanctions, which affect housing, municipal taxes, and daycare services, are akin to a bank demanding immediate repayment of a mortgage after years of agreed-upon installments, fundamentally altering the rules mid-game.
The discussion was sparked by a viral video from Aminach, where he advocated for full exemptions for Haredi men aged 26-27 who have families and children. He asserted that the current policies are unfair and irrational, particularly given that these individuals have received deferments from military service since age 18.
During a panel discussion, media personality and Haredi-secular relations expert Dolav Davidovitch offered a contrasting perspective. While agreeing with Aminach's assessment that the goal should be integrating Haredi men into Israeli society, Davidovitch argued that the sanctions, rather than weakening the community, actually strengthen Haredi identity and their ethos of separation from secular Israeli culture. He suggested that continued pressure would reinforce their distinctiveness.
Shimon Tubul, Deputy Mayor of Beersheba and a senior figure in the Nitzan party, posited that the motivation behind the anti-Haredi sentiment is not solely security concerns but also political, aimed at undermining Prime Minister Netanyahu and the right-wing government. However, Tubul also called for an internal review within the Haredi sector regarding the treatment of female teachers and kindergarten staff in community organizations.
Lawyer Eli Nacht concluded the debate by emphasizing the necessity of integrating the Haredi public into the economy and workforce through gradual, evolutionary processes, not sudden revolutionary changes. He argued that coercive measures, such as imprisonment, would be counterproductive and foster antagonism, advocating instead for a slow, phased approach to integration.