From the Liveblog of
Thursday, November 7, 2024
Lapid to incoming defense minister Katz: Don’t be ‘minister of draft evasion affairs’
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"
Addressing incoming Defense Minister Israel Katz ahead of a Knesset vote to confirm his appointment, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid calls on the Likud politician to oppose efforts to pass legislation that would enshrine the exemption of members of the ultra-Orthodox community from military service.
“Minister Katz, it is not true that you are being appointed as the defense minister today, you are being appointed as minister of draft evasion affairs,” Lapid declares.
“If you stand up the day after your appointment and say ‘I will not pass evasion laws,’ you will be remembered in history as the one who stood his ground,” he continues, calling on Katz to “do the right thing.”
