Smotrich's Conflicting Stances on Haredi Draft Emerge
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has presented conflicting views on the military draft for the Haredi community. While recently stating the draft cannot be forced, he previously promised to bring 10,000 Haredi recruits by January 2027 with collective sanctions. This inconsistency has caused internal party friction and led to criticism. Smotrich faces a deadline to fulfill his recruitment pledge, with potential repercussions if he fails.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed contradictory views on the Haredi military draft.
- Smotrich promised 10,000 Haredi recruits by January 2027 with collective sanctions.
- An audio recording revealed Smotrich privately favoring a less stringent draft approach.
- Internal party dissent has led to the departure of Minister Ofir Sofer.
- Smotrich's party faction demanded a "real and quick" draft law.
- The Haredi draft issue has been a point of contention for Smotrich for years.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's Finance Minister, recently delivered a speech in Ofra where he described the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community as ungrateful to God and questioned how one could be Haredi today. However, in the same discussion, Smotrich shifted to practical matters, stating that the draft into the IDF cannot be achieved by force and expressing great appreciation for the Haredi public. This apparent contradiction has followed Smotrich for three years, with a critical deadline approaching in less than three months.
Historically, Smotrich's party, the Religious Zionism party, did not oppose the exemption from military service for Torah scholars. Even in August 2023, Smotrich's party intended to support a Haredi draft arrangement offering an exemption from age 21, hoping Haredim would enter the workforce. This was seen as a pragmatic approach by the Finance Minister, prioritizing the labor market over ideology.
The situation changed significantly after the October 7th attacks. By January 2025, Smotrich spoke differently, promising in a Channel 12 interview that a developing law would bring about ten thousand Haredi recruits to the IDF within two years. He even proposed a mechanism involving collective sanctions on the Haredi public if recruitment targets were not met.
However, by December 1st, 2025, the Religious Zionism faction issued a statement declaring they would only vote for a law ensuring a "real and quick" draft. On the same day, Smotrich attacked those demanding a "perfect" law, blaming maximalist positions for delays. This was followed by internal party meetings with rabbis, after which the party leaned towards supporting the draft law, despite internal opposition.
An audio recording revealed Smotrich defending the existing draft law's wording to budget officials, rejecting personal sanctions, and explaining that students could not be forcibly drafted. While this private stance is seen as pragmatic by some, the public contradiction has led to internal party consequences, including the departure of Minister Ofir Sofer and the removal of MK Moshe Solomon from Knesset committees. Smotrich faces a January 2027 deadline for his promise of ten thousand recruits and collective sanctions, and his ability to navigate these conflicting positions will be closely watched.
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