IDF chief said to slam ‘warped’ Haredi draft law, accusing gov’t of ignoring army’s views

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly told his fellow generals that the government had repeatedly ignored the military’s viewpoint in passing a law that froze the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers and called the legislation “warped from its very foundations.”

“We presented our position on the issue many times in the various committees, but no one listened,” Zamir is quoted by Channel 12 as telling a meeting of the General Staff some two weeks ago.

“This law is warped from its very foundations. The Supreme Court has already frozen its implementation, and I’m not sure it will pass,” the leaked remarks quote Zamir as saying.

The law passed last month banned the police and IDF from arresting ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers for what in practice would be a seven-month period.

The law was one of several pieces of legislation pushed through by the government aimed at appeasing the ultra-Orthodox parties, who want to see widespread draft exemptions enshrined in law.

Some 72,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently eligible for military service, but have ignored conscription orders. The IDF has said repeatedly in recent months that it urgently needs 12,000 new recruits amid the ongoing multifront conflict.