From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 28, 2024
Ben Gvir on Haredi draft: ‘I don’t think coercion will help’
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Amid growing public outcry over draft exemptions for Haredi men, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says that while he believes in the importance of military service — and notes that he is taking steps to encourage the enlistment of Haredim into the police — “I don’t think that compulsion will help in this.”
Ben Gvir tells reporters that the new Knesset session is a “great opportunity” to pass laws to enable Israel to fight against terror and bring security to Israel.
Speaking ahead of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, Ben Gvir endorses bills being advanced by members of his party, including legislation that seeks to execute terrorists, deport their family members, and fire teachers who praise terrorism.
Turning to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who yesterday reportedly sent a harshly worded missive to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that Israel’s war efforts had become aimless, Ben Gvir says that he does not “see eye to eye” with the Likud minister.
“He isn’t [advancing] an agenda that a right-wing member of this government needs to,” Ben Gvir says, calling for “complete victory.”
The Times of Israel Community.