Kadima MKs, considering starting new party, to join demonstrators demanding universal conscription

Several Kadima MKs, so dissatisfied with the current state of negotiations over a new universal conscription law that they are considering breaking away to start a new party, will attend a major demonstration on Saturday night to demand that the government adopt the recommendations of the Plesner committee.

Unnamed MKs quoted by Ynet on Thursday night said they would wait to gauge the sentiment and intensity of the rally at the “Suckers’ tent” in Tel Aviv, started by reservists demanding that all sectors of society share equally in the burden of defending the state, before deciding whether to remain in their party and in the coalition or leave both to start a new party.

Parents of fallen soldiers are scheduled to attend the protest, highlighting the dissonance between their sacrifice and the benefits received by Haredi yeshiva students who receive draft deferments and exemptions.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz, the vice prime minister, for about an hour on Thursday — expressing support for various elements of the Plesner committee’s recommendations, but stopping short of accepting them all.

Earlier this week, Mofaz threatened to leave the coalition if Netanyahu does not support legislation based on the Plesner committee’s recommendations, which include drafting ultra-Orthodox men at the age of 22, with 1,500 annual exemptions for outstanding Torah scholars, and leveling personal sanctions on those who refuse to either enlist in the military or perform some sort of national service.

Netanyahu seeks to pass a bill that would have Arabs serve in non-military national service, and that would not sanction Haredi draft dodgers.