From the Liveblog of
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Ex-PM Bennett says government dealing ‘crushing blow to reservists’ with Haredi draft bill
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. 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"
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett slams Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for dealing a “crushing blow to the reservists” for agreeing to soften mandatory enlistment requirements and punishments for Haredi draft dodgers.
“The bottom line [is that] the proposed law will reduce recruitment of Haredim and also prevent Haredim from entering employment,” he tweets, insisting that the government’s decision was a message to “exhausted soldiers and families who were hoping for good news or relief on the horizon” that “there is no help on the way.”
According to the ultra-Orthodox Behadrei Haredim news site, the new outline stipulates that the enlistment law will be a temporary measure lasting for only six years, or four if it fails to meet enlistment targets
While sanctions connected to academic study subsidies, international travel and driver’s licenses would be imposed immediately, others relating to daycare and public transportation subsidies would be delayed.
This compromise will “remove incentives to enlist” by restoring government benefits to draft evaders, “create strong incentives” not to work and deal a “fatal blow to the Israeli economy,” says Bennett. He calls for preventing the law’s passage and “replacing this egotistical and detached government as quickly as possible with a serious government that cares about the citizens of Israel.”
“It will happen soon.”
The Times of Israel Community.