Lapid says changes to enlistment bill would be a ‘betrayal’ of soldiers

Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid calls on the government to pass a bill formalizing exemptions to military service for ultra-Orthodox students without any changes to the draft legislation.

“If the government changes one word in this draft, this is no longer politics. This is a betrayal of every soldier who arrives at the Bakum [induction base],” Lapid says at his party’s weekly Knesset faction meeting.

“The main condition is that not even one word in [the bill] be changed. I have no expectations from the prime minister,” Lapid says, “but it can’t be that the defense minister will agree to change even a word of the draft.”

The bill, which is backed by the Defense Ministry, sets minimum yearly targets for ultra-Orthodox conscription that, if not met, would result in financial sanctions on the yeshivas where they study.