Gadi Eizenkot Criticizes Aryeh Deri Over Military Draft Dispute

Gadi Eizenkot, chairman of the "Yashar! With Eizenkot" party, sharply criticized Aryeh Deri on Thursday following Deri's remarks against IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Eizenkot described Deri's comments as "a display of audacity and detachment" and condemned the ultra-Orthodox leadership's stance on military conscription. He argued that it is unjust for only part of the population to bear the burden of military service, stating, "There is nothing Jewish about sending only some of the people of Israel to a war of obligation."

Eizenkot also condemned the political exploitation of the Chief of Staff amid the ongoing draft debate, saying, "There is nothing leadership-like about turning the Chief of Staff into a tool in your dirty political game." He linked Deri's statements to recent legislation aimed at enabling draft exemptions, accusing those who promoted such laws of lacking awareness while IDF soldiers continue to operate on multiple fronts.

He urged Deri to reconsider his position on the draft, emphasizing that this is not a typical political dispute but a security necessity affecting the entire population. "Aryeh, after three years of war, perhaps it is time to internalize that conscription is not a political matter," Eizenkot wrote. He concluded that military service is "the Jewish people's insurance policy in the State of Israel, a matter of national security."