JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a dramatic statement which could cause the premature dissolution of the current Israeli coalition, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called Wednesday for an end to Charedi military exemptions. Gallant said he would only back legislation for regulating exemptions if it is endorsed by centrist ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot.
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Gallant’s statement effectively places him outside the consensus of the 64-man coalition, which had signed an agreement with charedi parties at the formation of the government to legislate a new draft law enabling exemptions for Torah study. Thus Gallant has pitted himself against the charedi parties, which will now have to decide whether to compromise or dismantle the government over the issue of draft exemptions, at a time when Israeli public opinion strongly resents the current unilateral exemptions.
In a press conference Wednesday which had not been coordinated with the prime minister, Gallant, a former top military officer himself, said that manpower strains on the IDF amid fighting in Gaza and on the northern border required the contribution of all sectors of society.
“We cherish and appreciate those who dedicate their lives to learning the Torah. However, without physical existence, there is no spiritual existence. Our security challenges demonstrate that everyone must bear the burden [of service]. All parts of society,” Gallant said in the televised address.
“To attain the goals of the war, to handle the threats from Gaza, from Lebanon, from [the West Bank], and to prepare for the emerging threats from the east, we need unity and partnership in decisions about our future,” he said
“Any draft law agreed to by all parties of the emergency coalition will be acceptable to me,” he said. “But without the agreement of all parts of the coalition, the defense system under my leadership will not present the law.”
Gallant’s insistence on a law supported by National Unity party lawmakers Gantz and Eisenkot, both former Israel Defense Forces chiefs of staff, is likely to put to bed any chance of the coalition being able to pass a bill acceptable to charedim without reaching across the aisle to those opposed to large-scale exemptions.
The announcement was welcomed by Gantz, but met with immediate charedi backlash and vague threats that the issue could bring down the government.
Recently the IDF announced that it would be restoring the period of mandatory service to three years, after it had been cut by four months in recent years. Additionally it decided to delay reservists release until the age of 46 and raised the number of annual days of reserve service they will contribute in order to maintain its forces in Gaza as a possible war may break out with Hezbollah in the north.
The move met with sharp backlash as secular MKs demanded that charedim be conscripted to make up the lack of forces available. Currently there is no law in place exempting charedim after the High Court deemed the previous laws invalid due to the inequality of the burden placed on citizens.
On Monday, the court threatened to annul a government resolution passed in June 2023 instructing the IDF not to draft charedi yeshiva students for nine months, while it formulates a new law. The court issued an injunction demanding that the government explain why it is not conscripting charedim for army service.
In his press conference, Gallant noted that he had met with Netanyahu, Gantz, heads of the ultra-Orthodox parties, and other coalition members, telling them that “it is possible and important to reach an agreed framework for a draft [law].”
“I call on the prime minister to lead a joint process with all coalition factions, and to reach the necessary agreements on the draft law. I hope there are also parts of the opposition that will join the framework that will be formulated,” he said.
Gantz, who brought his party into the coalition to have a hand in running the war in Gaza,welcomed Gallant’s declaration, stating that “All parts of Israeli society should take part in the right to serve. This is a security, national, and social need,” Gantz said, promising to work “with all factions of the Knesset and all parts of Israeli society” for consensus legislation.
Gantz and Eisenkot themselves held a press conference this week demanding charedi as well as Arab participation in national service.
Charedi parties may be amenable to a bill allowing the conscription of those who are not involved in Torah study, but will not be able to accept a law requiring civil service even for those in the yeshivos.
Shas and UTJ took strong exception to Gallant’s statement, threatening to dissolve the government.
“If Netanyahu wants to still be in power by the summer, he’ll need to okay a draft exemption law,” a UTJ source told Kan 11 news.
“Gallant’s announcement seems like a planned move to bring down the government,” charedi news website Kikar Hashabbat quoted a “very senior source within the ultra-Orthodox parties” as saying. “There’s no other explanation. Someone who wants a consensus bill doesn’t run to the media.”
Otzma Yehudit minister Amichai Eliyahu accused Gallant of pushing ideas aligned with “a shallow progressive atmosphere, which tried with all its might to divide us and weaken us from within.”
The leidegeirs should certainly be forced to drafted. They can fight, drive ambulances, office work…enough with the hiding behind the cowards who protect these chevra in the criminal Knesset
Ok, here’s the problem. Instead of focusing on the war, Mr. Gallant in throwing himself into a very infused (and explosive) political matter.
As secretary of defense, this is a political matter that should be handled by elected MK members and not rank officials as yourself.
This is the second time Gallant is doing this – last time during the judicial overhaul.
This is why Israel continues to implode from within; the oyvim of ours watch and 10/7 happens.
He needs to go – fast. For everyone’s sake.
Just cut off the money. A small number of truly outstanding students should have permission to study Torah fulltime, as has occurred throughout Jewish history. Everyone else will be expected to serve, in a manner consistent with Charedi lifestyle (Nachal Charedi, the Machon Lev yeshiva/cyber program, the Shachar Kachol Air Force program, etc.)
If anyone who is supposed to serve doesn’t, they and their yeshiva is cut off. Yeshivos that produce large numbers of draft dodgers, or kollels that enroll large numbers of them should lose state funding. No arrests, no prison, no drama. Just the natural consequence of being porush min hatzibur.
Abba Eban said of Arafat, tail of the then PLO, “he never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity!” These guys will bring down the government in the middle of a war for the country’s survival just to get at Netanyahu and Chareidim.
You are all wasting your time. Charedim will never join and you can’t do anything about it. Just live with it and work out the most optimal practical solution. The courts are insane to.
Just to debunk the defund argument. Yes i hear people say well don’t give them money. Well Ok what does that mean? Don’t give kolell familes with working moms money for food stamps? You can’t do that. Thats discrimination. So what can you do already? Cut funding for yeshivas? Ok they will just collect more in the USA. We have enough frum billionaires already. I get your anger and frustration but just give it up. Life isn’t fair
Milhemet hova for the Zionist mehaleleil Shabbat not for the Shomerei mitzvots . Go enroll yourself and suffer the consequences that maybe of lesser level than going after all the gdolei Israel for more than a century !
A nice kaf hakala awaits him ! Rasha merusha but no less than all the 120 reshayims of the Knesset !
Gallant is the enemy. A traitor. No yiras shemayim is going to take orders from this rot. Kkal Yisroel davans 3x a day for gallant to be annihilated.