by Keshet Neev
RZP's Ofir Sofer to oppose draft legislation, defying faction head Bezalel Smotrich • Bismuth brings new haredi draft bill outline to Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
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Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer, of the Religious Zionist Party (RZP), vowed on Monday that he would vote against the proposed haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft law even at the risk of being dismissed from the government, calling the current outline "shameful."
He pledged to persuade fellow party members to oppose the legislation, citing the heavy burden on reserve soldiers, whom he described as Torah-observant and dedicated.
Until now, members of the coalition’s Religious Zionist Party had been silent on their stance regarding the bill.
The party stated on Thursday that it was necessary to review the recently published new outline of the controversial legislation thoroughly before deciding its stance.
Two other members of RZP, MK Michal Woldiger and MK Moshe Solomon, also spoke against the bill at the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (FADC) meeting on Monday morning.
Bismuth brings new haredi draft bill outline to top Knesset committee
The new outline of the bill was presented in the FADC meeting, led by committee chairperson MK Boaz Bismuth (Likud), marking long-anticipated progress in advancing the legislation.Support from the members of the Religious Zionist Party is considered key in determining if the bill will be able to pass its second and third readings in the Knesset’s plenum to become a law.
Several other members of the coalition have also announced they will not vote in favor of the bill in its current form.
Other vocal critics of the legislation in the coalition include Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Heskel (New Hope-United Right), MK Dan Illouz (Likud), and former FADC committee chair MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud).
Bismuth's bill has drawn wide criticism for introducing changes that critics claim fail to enforce haredi conscription into the IDF, as the military lacks manpower.
This outline "will not bring conscription," Edelstein told the Knesset panel. "If the goal is conscription, the entire bill needs to look different," he said.
The panel was also packed with opposition lawmakers speaking against the bill, as Bismuth stated that his outline was a "clear, stable, empirical framework based on targets, established through productive dialogue with the army."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) slammed the proposal, telling Bismuth and the panel, “Boaz, what you’ve put on the table here is a disgraceful law of draft evasion. It is a betrayal of our soldiers. It is a betrayal of everyone who fought and sacrificed over the past two years. More than 920 killed, more than 20,000 wounded, and today you are betraying them."
“Look around you. The prime minister isn’t here, the defense minister isn’t here, [Shas MK Arye] Deri isn’t here. No one wants to touch this law. They left you alone to carry this shame.”
Progress on the bill had previously stalled due to the lack of a “green light” from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the haredi parties.
Haredi draft law 'dangerous,' bereaved father of slain IDF soldier says
The discussion opened with statements from bereaved family members, who spoke about the urgency of creating legislation that would ensure haredi enlistment in the IDF.Haggai Lober, father of fallen soldier Yonatan, warned the panel that the “law is dangerous, from a security perspective, a social perspective, and a leadership perspective. The army needs combat soldiers, and you know it.”
“You know that this law doesn’t even begin to meet the army’s needs. You in this committee know what challenges the State of Israel faces, and you are not providing what the army requires,” he told the panel.
“My son had a life’s mission called the State of Israel. With this law, you distinguish between one blood and another,” he added.
The two haredi parties left the government in July over disagreements surrounding the bill, which had previously been advanced by Edelstein.
Edelstein was later removed from his position following the parties’ departure from the government, allowing Bismuth to take over the committee and spearhead a new outline that introduced significant changes to earlier versions.
Critics of the revised bill argue that it still fails to enforce haredi conscription, stalls time, and attempts to appease the haredi parties to return to the government.
Earlier this month, the High Court ruled that the state cannot simultaneously avoid drafting tens of thousands of yeshiva students and continue funding their institutions. It ordered the government to craft a genuine enforcement plan within 45 days.
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
Keshet Neev
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-876807
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