Partnership for Service Forum Warns Against Haredi Draft Exemption
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The Partnership for Service forum is urging Israeli politicians, including Avigdor Lieberman and Gadi Eisenkot, not to form a government dependent on Haredi parties in exchange for draft exemptions. Dr. Tehila Elitzur stated that security needs demand universal conscription, a stance that will be pursued regardless of the government's makeup. The forum proposes a model for mandatory service for all, with limited exemptions and sanctions for evaders, calling it a historic test for politicians.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Partnership for Service forum warns against government relying on Haredi draft exemption.
- Dr. Tehila Elitzur emphasizes security needs require universal conscription for all Israelis.
- The forum demands politicians uphold promises to change the current draft exemption reality.
- A proposed model includes mandatory service for all, with limited exemptions and sanctions.
- The group calls the current situation a "historic test" for elected officials.
The Partnership for Service forum is warning key figures in the "change bloc" against forming a government that relies on Haredi support in exchange for continued draft exemptions for yeshiva students. Dr. Tehila Elitzur, a prominent leader of the forum, stated in an interview that the fight for universal conscription will continue regardless of the government's composition, emphasizing that the security needs of Israel, highlighted by the October 7th attacks, necessitate sufficient soldiers on all borders.
Elitzur urged politicians who promised to change the current conscription reality not to backtrack on their commitments as a government formation becomes possible. She warned that if these promises are broken, the forum will voice its opposition as strongly as it did against the previous government. The forum, she explained, comprises many families from the religious-Zionist community with diverse political views, united by the demand to broaden the pool of conscripts.
Addressing concerns that the forum's activism was exploited to destabilize the previous government, Elitzur asserted that the responsibility lies with elected officials, not the citizens. She stressed that the pressure from Haredi parties regarding the draft exemption will persist regardless of who is tasked with forming the government, calling this a "historic test." Elitzur noted that while she opposed the blanket exemption before October 7th, the war has made it an urgent security issue.
The Partnership for Service proposes a conscription model that includes a mandatory service for all segments of society, with limited exemptions only for exceptional individuals based on security needs, and exclusive authority for the IDF to determine conscription and alternative service assignments. Elitzur also called for a direct link between fulfilling civil duties and receiving state benefits, suggesting sanctions for draft evaders.
Elitzur urged the incoming Knesset to adopt the "Servicemembers' Outline," developed collaboratively by right- and left-wing organizations and members of the outgoing Knesset. She reiterated that security threats remain high and that the absence of sufficient soldiers to protect citizens is unacceptable, especially when tens of thousands of eligible young men are not serving.
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