Israel Matzav: Shaked Committee caves in to Lapid

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Shaked Committee caves in to Lapid

I suppose this was inevitable. A report indicates that the Shaked Committee, which is dealing with the new law to draft Haredim, has agreed to impose criminal sanctions on Haredim who don't go to the army. But only after six months....

According to the new compromise, the sanctions against draft-dodgers will be criminal, not economic - but only for a six-month period after the Equal Burden of Service bill becomes law.

If the hareidi community does not meet the draft quota during a shorter transition period after the law is enacted, the six-month waiting period will take effect; the waiting period will, in turn, give lawmakers time to gauge the effectiveness of the law and whether or not there are other ways to solve the draft problem.

According to the framework reached within the Quartet of the Shaked Committee - which consists of Chairman Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home), MK Ofir Shelah (Yesh Atid), MK Elazar Stern (HaTnua), and MK Amar Bar-Lev (Labor) - the compromise is meant to bridge the gap between Yesh Atid, which has been demanding criminal sanctions, and Jewish Home, which has been pushing for economic sanctions.

The compromise, as drafted by Bar-Lev, sees both needs being met. On the one hand, the hareidi community has been given a shorter interim period to respond to the draft notice; on the other hand, the waiting period allows for the implementation of economic sanctions to return to the committee agenda.

According to a "senior source," several members of the committee are still pushing for economic sanctions to be enacted, as a preliminary measure before the criminal sanctions take effect; however, the likelihood of the proposal being accepted is minimal.

And for those of you who think that the Haredim will run to join the IDF once this bill is passed... that seems unlikely.

Tuesday's announcement surfaces amid concerns that the prospect of criminal sanctions have already alienated the hareidi community even more from the idea of a draft, after the Shas party quit the Shaked Committee over the move. Hareidi leaders have expressed strong opposition to criminal sanctions for yeshiva students, and some pro-enlistment leaders have warned that strong sanctions could create a backlash that would mean fewer hareidi men in the army, not more.

For what it's worth, there is a split with the Haredi community over how to respond to this issue. All of those who have been arrested for being AWOL have been followers of Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, who have been told not to appear at IDF headquarters at all in response to induction notices. Meanwhile the followers of Rabbi Aryeh Leib Steinman have been told to appear but not to sign at the final stage.

Last week's demonstration was organized by the followers of Rabbi Auerbach through their daily newspaper, HaPeles. Last night, someone showed me a letter signed by Rabbi Steinman and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, condemning HaPeles, and urging that it not be read. Where the split will lead if criminal sanctions come into effect is still up in the air. But there is apparently some division among the rabbis about how provocative the Haredim should be, and for now, at least, the authorities are only responding to those they deem most provocative.

Labels: Ayelet Shaked, draft, Haredim, IDF, Jewish Home party, Rabbi Aaron Leib Steinman, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, Yair Lapid, Yesh Atid party