Israeli Draft (Part 3)
As reported last week, Israel’s Kadima party pulled out of PM Binyamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, after failing to agree on legislation that would draft most ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) men of military age into the army.
Kadima, the centrist party, has the most seats in parliament but Netanyahu has enough coalition votes (66 of 120) to stay in power for the time being. However, a vote of no confidence is a real possibility. The current parliament term does not end until October next year.
Haredim men compromise 13% of draft age Jewish young men, but their numbers are growing.
Kadima’s leader, former defence minister, Shaul Mofaz, bitterly accused the PM of kowtowing to the two Haredim parties.
Yisrael Beitenu, another coalition partner, submitted his own bill on 18 July, recommending universal national service for all citizens.
A new report shows that a growing number of Haredim are already enlisting which shows a realization among some Haredim that the current situation is untenable.
(Contributions to all three parts of this report were made by former Marine major and think tank consultant in Israel, Philip Gold. He has written a book called: “Yom Kippur Party Goods”
(John Hunt, Ltd., 2012).)