Israel Matzav

What will happen if a Haredi refuses to enlist because he wants to learn Torah

Meet Natan Blanc. Blanc is 20-years old and was pronounced unfit for duty on Thursday, six months after walking into an IDF recruitment station and announcing his refusal to serve because he objects to the 'occupation.' In the interim, Blanc has been arrested nine times and will have served 177 days in jail by his release next Thursday.

Blanc has openly declared himself to be a conscientious objector, and never tried to take the route of evasion taken by other recruits, such as securing a lower physical or mental profile.

The committee made its recommendation on Thursday following Blanc's second appeal for exemption.

He first appeared before the committee on February 21, and was advised to fulfill his obligation by doing alternative service in a civilian hospital. Blanc happily accepted the decision, since he had already declared his intention to volunteer for national service with Magen David Adom when he first refused.

On February 24, the committee rejected his request to avoid military conscription. The committee is headed by Lt. Col. Yossi Malcha, who also heads the conscription reinforcement in the human resources department. Malcha is also the commander that sentenced Blanc the last three times.

Over the last decade, the IDF largely refrained from repeatedly putting conscientious objectors on trial.

And what will happen if a Haredi walks in and calls himself a 'conscientious objector' because he believes that his task in life is to learn Torah full time? Before you all jump up and say 'But Blanc is volunteering for Magen David Adom,' the IDF rejected that solution and it does not appear to be part of his current release. Not to mention that one has to wonder what would happen if, as a Magen David Adom volunteer, Blanc is asked to treat a revenant.

Hmmm. 

Labels: Haredim, IDF, Magen David Adom

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:06 PM