The struggle against the evasion law must be led by the Zionist right. A distortion of ideology and special humor on the part of the Minister of History have led to the fact that the so-called "full right" is about to create one of the greatest moral crises we have ever known. A right that intends to pass an official evasion law for a large part of the population, not from the change of circumstances.
Contrary to the mess they made in our heads, the one who was supposed to raise the flag of defense of the homeland and military service is the national camp. "Right against dodging" is the natural ideology, while they are confronted by the radical left, pacifists for reasons of religion, morality, cowardice or idleness. In practice, everything is reversed. Why is equality of the burden erupting now, after 75 years? Because the government has skillfully opened a Pandora's box and questioned the most important identity of part of the Israeli public that serves in the army: its patriotism.
People who until yesterday gave a blank slate to the ultra-Orthodox just to close a political deal with them, today want to burn the page, and those who were willing to wear a streimel in the words of the late Shulamit Aloni, today understand that the problem can no longer be hidden. As if legal reform, hatred in the streets, and the sense of Lebaneseization were not enough, now the dilemma of the century: what to do with equality of burden.
Netanyahu with Deri and Gafni in the Knesset,
The truth is that since Ben-Gurion's agreement with the ultra-Orthodox parties, the State of Israel has chosen not to decide. Left, right, Ben-Gurion, Begin, Barak, Olmert and Netanyahu all postponed the problem to the next. It was clear that at some point it would explode. 42% of Israelis enlist, about 33% complete full military service. The premise was that when the numbers dropped more, the questions would begin to come.
How is it that someone born into an ultra-Orthodox family – regardless of his skills, abilities and wishes – is exempt from risking his life defending the homeland, and the rest are required by law? How is Israel the only country in the world where ultra-Orthodox Jews are excluded from core education that would enable them to earn a decent living, removed from civic obligations and asked for honor not to obey the commandment to perform a war mitzvah? "Will your brothers come (go to war) and you will sit here?" asks Moshe, and the answer in modern Israel is: Yes.
In the upcoming Knesset session, the legislative branch will decide on the constitutive arrangement of Israeli citizens with the state. Paying taxes and complying with the law are a recognized basis in every country, as are services to citizens on the part of the state. Recruitment and risking lives is an event that very few Western countries ask of their citizens. In Israel, which lives by the sword, this service had to become an ethos.
And this is precisely the big problem of the coalition: when, instead of dealing with the ethos of defense of the homeland, the government deals with the ethos of exemption and evasion of the law, it drops the ground. When there are enough ministers and members in the same government who did not serve at all but sent others to fight in their place, it becomes insulting.
This week I spoke with two women activists who are calling for their sons not to be drafted into the IDF if the evasion law passes the Knesset. They turned to me. They knew in advance that I would cry out. I left the conversation with a hard feeling. To me, this is a step that you never know how it will end. I hope it will amount to headlines in the newspapers and the children will enlist, but I could be wrong.
The problem is that it is very difficult today to find consistency in the political system, in what is supposed to be the leadership. Those who oppose evasion, refusal, the cessation of reserve duty or any other form of connection between politics and the military. You can hear supporters of the evasion law who dare to oppose the cessation of reserve duty of excellent people who contributed their best years to the defense of the homeland. And there are those who oppose the mass evasion of the ultra-Orthodox but are in favor of ending the reserves.
In recent years, I have been behind a service plan for everyone. 10% of Haredim will study Torah (in the spirit of Ben-Gurion's original proposal), not 90% as is the case today. Every Israeli citizen will go to serve the state in the army or in national service. The best of Israelis will do significant service in the army, but the excellent charitable organizations in ultra-Orthodox society can also be an honorable option for service. By the way, it's the same in Arab society. Every young person will serve the country. You can adopt a different outline, different ideas, it doesn't matter. What is important is to take part.
Soldiers during an operation. Something must change,
The thing is that the only ones who can stop the crisis are the ultra-Orthodox activists, and in my estimation, they don't understand what is happening to us. Meanwhile, right-wing Zionists, this is a call to you to step out of your comfort zone, out of your "natural partnership." Speak out against evasion – it is essential for stopping the internal bleeding, for the benefit of our ultra-Orthodox brothers. There are those among them who want and need to be brothers in arms.
I have no idea how this crisis will be resolved, I know one thing: that if we get through this period peacefully, at the end of it there will be a Zionist unity government. Integrating the ultra-Orthodox is one of her tasks.
Start a repair
The exposure of the protocols of the discussions on the Oslo Accords highlights the need for "probable circumstances" on the part of decision makers, as well as in the media that criticizes the regime and does not fawn over it. The agreements created a partial separation from the Palestinians in the style of the Allon Plan. We gave up municipal control, but along the way we gave up our security capabilities. All the information was there, so were the warnings of dangers. Then-IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak said and was right. The political echelon was blind. I demonstrated as a teenager against the Oslo Accords, experienced the price as an adult and fought as a security man.
Whoever says that no government has reneged on the agreements is right. The thing is that they have been significantly changed. They underwent surgery that lasted years to get something reasonable. Arik Sharon's Operation Defensive Shield was the beginning of the reckless correction. Security control has returned, municipal control remains to the Palestinians. Partial separation from the PA with common interests. Sometimes.
Good corner
As the school year approaches, there is no parent who does not know the high prices of textbooks.This is difficult for the average family, and even more so for families in distress.A child who arrives at school without books, his future suffers and so does his self-confidence.
Against this background, there are several local initiatives that I know, wonderful teachers, parents' committees and communities, that have established a secret distribution project. There are also international organizations that are busy collecting books in English around the world. In Israel, a central organization is needed to distribute to students in need. While writing this part, from an initial inquiry - there are those who are willing and willing to establish such a project.
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