Feiglin pushes to abolish draft
In a letter addressed to political party leaders, the hawkish politician decried initiatives to institute a universal draft law that would force the ultra-Orthodox to enlist, saying such legislation could harm Israel’s social fabric and present meagre benefits that would be outweighed by the downsides.
A volunteer-based army would be more professional, and the IDF should thus draft only those it wanted and needed in its ranks, Maariv quoted Feiglin as saying. In case of a manpower shortage, the law should give the army the option of drafting more people, he said, stressing that a temporary universal draft was widely accepted in military emergencies.
According to Feiglin’s plan, combat recruits would serve for at least three years. They’d be payed minimum wage throughout the course of training and receive a higher salary for the remainder of their service. Meanwhile, those serving in the reserves would be given benefits, including monetary incentives.
“As of today, large segments of Israeli society — not only the ultra-Orthodox — find ways to shirk mandatory service,” Feiglin wrote. Additionally, only a small percentage of Israelis served in the reserves, he explained, positing that “mandatory military service is one of the factors that divide and crumble Israeli society.”
I agree. More here.Feiglin said the draft was a burden for the army that detracted from its professionalism and caused “hidden unemployment” among soldiers.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:42 PM
3 Comments:
Universal draft, for all able bodied people, is what has united Israel MORE than anything else in its modern history.
It is THE ONLY way for Israelis coming from all sort of places and social backgrounds to meet and learn how to respect one another: that's one of the main reasons for the distance and even worse between the charedi world and the rest of Am Israel be-Erets Israel.
Time to finish with that story.
Israel is surrounded by enemies vowed to our destruction. Fighting to defend our people is an OBLIGATORY MITSWAH FROM THE TORAH.
Such cheap political expedients will not change that and will only increase sinnat chinnam.
NO ONE gets closer to Torah because charedim do not serve with the rest of 'Am Israel.
THOUSANDS were moved to observance and respect because of Shomre' Mitswoth who serve.
The logic of those who bowed-down in front of the Romans cannot be resuscitated.
Now that after 12 years he was able to enter the Knesset, the guy who has swallowed lots of toads to be in Likud, is starting with one GIMMICK after the other.
Israel is a country of 8 million (6 million of them Jews, who actually serve), surrounded by a sea of Arabs. Egypt, Israel's most dangerous threat, has 70 million people alone.
Israel at this time simply does not have the resources to maintain military supremacy without a draft.
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