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| Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Israeli soldier |
The Knesset passed a new law this week which will force the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community into military service.
After a grace period of several years, those who are caught dodging the draft will face criminal charges and imprisonment, according to the new law passed in the Knesset led by Likud and Yesh Atid parties.
Meanwhile, a poll released this week showed that sixty-seven percent of Israelis support the imposition of criminal sanctions, including imprisonment, for ultra-Orthodox Jewish draft dodgers, compared with 28 percent who oppose personal sanctions.
The survey, commissioned by the television channel of the Knesset, also found that 64 percent of the public want that military service performed by soldiers of Hesder Yeshivas be extended from 16 months to two years, while 29 percent said there was no need to extend the service. Hesder is a program that allows religious men to incorporate Torah study with military service.
As we reported earlier, members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel are angry after the Knesset passed a new law this morning forcing them into military service, according to a statement released by Israeli officials.
While most Israelis are extremely happy with the new law the ultra-Orthodox Jews vowed to fight to death against being drafted into IDF service.
The Israeli Knesset reached the agreement on Wednesday to abolish the wholesale exemptions from military service for Jewish yeshiva students, ending a brief coalition crisis that divided the ruling government parties.
The issue of "sharing the national burden" is at the center of a heated debate the ultra-Orthodox Jewish minority enjoyed for decades, and a committee appointed by the government had failed to formulate a new draft law earlier this week.
Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, a member of the right-wing Likud party, which is led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had initially resisted a clause according to which criminal charges will be brought against those who try to evade military service.
However, the main coalition partner of Netanyahu, the Yesh Atid centrist party, on Monday threatened to leave the government unless the new law is passed.
According to the new law, criminal charges for military service evaders will only be brought after four years.
Under the new law, approximately 1,800 of the 8,000 yeshiva students will receive an exemption, each year.
Welcoming the agreement on the bill, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said in a press conference: "The government has shown it can make a change, even on the most explosive issue."
“This is a very happy day for the entire nation of Israel. Finally, the Israeli military will represent all Jews. It will be a true people’s army,” Marty Barber, 40, of Netanya, Israel told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the passing of the new draft law.
Israeli men and women are called to duty for up to three years, at 18. However, exceptions have been made for most Arab citizens of Israel.