From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
IDF reservist ejected from Knesset committee after protesting Haredi draft law
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"
IDF reservist Yonatan Shalev is forcibly removed from a debate in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, after yelling at Defense Minister Israel Katz, who is presenting his proposal for ultra-Orthodox enlistment.
As he is removed, Shalev screams that he has served for an extended period and has lost friends in the war.
“I’m a veteran of a combat unit, I fought, I fought for a year. What are you talking about here?” he calls out to Katz. “I represent fighters who are now in Gaza in the mud. I have lost dozens of fellow fighters.”
Opposition members of the committee also yell at Katz, accusing him of supporting widespread draft evasion.
An IDF combat reservist is removed from the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee after yelling at Defense Minister Israel Katz over his ultra-Orthodox enlistment outline pic.twitter.com/HWA7CqnmhR
— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) January 21, 2025
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