Gallant to oppose Netanyahu's bill to exempt ultra-Orthodox from IDF service

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday said that he will oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bill to prolong the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) exemption from IDF and national service.

Just as he was about to fly out to the US for meetings with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the Gaza war, he gave a parting shot to the prime minister.

While his main criticism was and has been against Netanyahu and the haredim, he did also press National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz to show greater flexibility.

Netanyahu has been rumored to be ready to extend the haredi exemption from IDF and national service in practice, while trying to make some symbolic gesture toward greater service.

Gantz offers minimum support of draft

Gantz has said he will only support at minimum obligating haredim to do national service.

Gallant has been more ready to compromise with the haredim than Gantz, but still feels the haredim must make a major change in their outlook in the aftermath of the war in Gaza in which 1,500 Israelis have died, and IDF soldiers continue to die in Gaza almost daily.

Opposition head Yair Lapid has said even Gantz’s ideas are too lenient toward haredim and that they should serve in the IDF like other Israelis.

Gallant also emphasized that his US meetings would hopefully help bridge differences between the US and Israel on attacking Rafah, continuing the war, humanitarian aid, and “the Day After” in Gaza.

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel said "For 25 years we have been tying ourselves in knots with bluffs and tricks that are only meant to postpone the decision and keep up the big lie that is equal conscription. The draft "evasion law" that was made public today is another transparent and shameful attempt to continue to evade the obvious truth - there is no substitute for full and true equality before the law.

"Enough with the back-room deals, enough with the fairytales and enough with deceiving the public. Equal conscription is an existential necessity for the State of Israel and Israeli society, and there is no way to achieve it other than the enactment of a uniform and equal recruitment law that will apply to all. Any other solution is a direct continuation of the fraud and lawlessness.

"We call on the government to come to its senses, stop playing political musical chairs and finally act with real national responsibility. Let's do the right and just thing for the future of the country - fully equal conscription, without compromises and without games. It's about time."