National service for all is a moral imperative - opinion

Israel’s “people’s army” model has been gradually eroding for several years while more voices among the Israeli public and even some IDF senior officers have called for a transition to a professional salaried military.

Some argue that the need for such a change stems from the more technological character of modern armies requiring specialization and more extended periods of service. However, such a gradual transition could expand the number of draft dodgers and bring about a decline in the quality of those enlisting for military service.

Preserving strength and resilience

We believe that the “people’s army” is essential for Israel to preserve the strength of the IDF and the resilience of the state and society.

First, mandatory service allows the IDF to recruit the best talents in the country who could otherwise be lured away from the military by the civilian sector. Without obligatory service, it will not be possible to maintain the reserve force required for all the threats the state faces. Minimal military training is also a proven means of quickly responding to terrorist attacks.

In addition, compulsory service acts as the melting pot of Israeli society and the optimal gateway for integrating into society. IDF service also accelerates the country’s economic and technological development.

By contrast, the transition to a model of a mercenary army, as happened in Western states, is very problematic. Career soldiers usually come from weaker and less qualified populations, which negatively affects the army’s and its commanders’ professionalism at a time when the range of threats is not expected to decrease.

For example, the US military has had to lower its recruitment standards to fill vacant positions. Moreover, a mercenary army inevitably has a higher budgetary cost than an army comprising mandatory enlisted soldiers.

The current arrangements, which grant exemptions to all haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men from military service, originate with Ben-Gurion’s decision at the time of the establishment of the state to exempt several hundred yeshiva students from being drafted. Today, however, the haredi sector makes up about 15% of Israel’s Jewish population, and thousands of haredi citizens are not inducted into the military. Moreover, the much higher rate of natural growth among the haredim increases the weight of this sector among the general population and the percentage of men whom the state allows to evade conscription.

This situation has led to a debate about finding a suitable legal arrangement for the haredi men that study Torah and do not join the IDF. It seems that the primary goal of the law initiated by the Finance Ministry is to increase their share in the labor market so that they contribute to the Israeli GNP while waiving the obligation to enlist in the IDF.

Ignoring difficulties

BUT THOSE who wish to lower the age at which the exemption is granted to haredim ignore the difficulties they face in a modern economy caused by the lack of appropriate schooling. It is unclear whether this step will direct more haredim to the job market. In any case, the lack of education may channel them into less profitable branches of the economy that are of limited benefit to the Israeli economy.

Exemption from military service involves grave moral issues that should not be approached through an economic prism. Granting a blanket exemption to the entire population of haredim (as well as Arabs) from fulfilling the civic duty of serving the state constitutes a moral aberration.

Citizenship is a valuable commodity. The state provides security and many other services. In light of this, we advocate a “national service for all” to obtain full citizenship.

Upon reaching 18, all should be required to serve the country, in military or civilian service, as their civic duty. The IDF will be given priority in selecting recruits to exploit the nation’s potential according to the state’s security.

The rest of the same-age cohort will be directed to serve in civilian roles in the community and other rescue and security organizations. It is advisable to adopt different types of service to the various populations, i.e., haredim, religious Zionists, and Arabs. Remuneration of the service will depend on its nature and duration.

The study of Torah is a central value to the people of Israel, and it is appropriate to grant an exemption from military service to a group of outstanding Torah students, like the procedure used for highly gifted musicians or athletes.

The moral equation “No civil rights without fulfilling obligations toward the state” must be reclaimed. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court eroded this moral equation when it decided to grant certain rights in the Social Security system – in the name of the principle of equality – to those denied such payments because they were not military veterans.

This immoral decision must be corrected: it is appropriate and necessary to consider sanctions for those who evade any national service who have benefited from years of free education and government amenities if they are not ready to enlist for military or civilian service. On the other hand, it would be appropriate to broadly reward those who do serve in combat service.

Political leaders must muster moral and political courage and condition civil rights on military or civilian service participation. The “national service for all” is a moral imperative.

Prof. Efraim Inbar is president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and head of the Strategy, Diplomacy and Security program at Shalem College. Prof. Col. (ret.) Gabi Siboni is a senior researcher at JISS.