From Opposition leaders blast conscription bill: ‘No green light for mass draft-dodging’
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"
Opposition politicians slam the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah faction after it announces that it has received the “green light” from its rabbinic leaders to back the advancement of a controversial bill that would exempt many Haredim from military enlistment.
“You do not have a green light,” tweets Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz. “No matter what you tell yourselves, you do not have a green light to continue abandoning our fighters and Israel’s security. You do not have a green light to allow mass draft-dodging for political survival. Those days are over.”
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman says: “The army is short thousands of combat soldiers, and just this morning it was revealed that hundreds of career officers are seeking to leave the IDF. At the same time, [Haredi leaders’] draft-dodging law is getting the green light. Israel’s security is being abandoned by weaklings clinging to their seats and the comforts of power.”
Liberman has repeatedly called for legislation mandating universal service and preventing draft evaders from voting.
The Times of Israel Community.