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Israeli parliament passes law requiring ultra-Orthodox to serve in military Israeli parliament passes trio of controversial laws
(about 3 hours later)
JERUSALEM – Israel’s parliament passed a controversial law Wednesday that could see the majority of its ultra-Orthodox Jewish citizens drafted into the military over the next three years or face criminal action. JERUSALEM – Israel’s parliament passed a trio of controversial laws Tuesday and Wednesday, one of which will require a national referendum on almost any peace deal reached with the Palestinians, and another that could for the first time force thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews into military service.
The new law, which took a year and a half to pass, was heralded by its supporters as a big step in addressing a deep societal imbalance that exists between secular Jews, who must serve in the army between ages 18 and 21, and ultra-Orthodox Jews, who instead study the Torah in state-funded yeshivas and are almost universally exempt. The new referendum measure adds little to existing law, which already states that any deal ceding Israeli territory must be brought to a public vote. But it might present an obstacle to peace if current U.S.-sponsored negotiations ultimately lead to an agreement that includes land swaps — giving Palestinians Israeli land in exchange for retaining Jewish settlements in the West Bank — or any division of Jerusalem, which Israel considers its territory.
“This is a historic, important bill,” declared parliamentarian Ayelet Shaked, who presented the legislation to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and who headed the committee that prepared the law. “For 65 years, there was an exemption for all yeshiva students, and the change the coalition made is proportionate and gradual and correct.” All three laws — the third of which raises the number of votes political parties need to gain a seat in the Knesset, or Israeli parliament — were based on agreements between governing coalition members and passed with little objection.
After the vote, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party was voted into the Knesset based on pushing the ultra-Orthodox or haredim, as they are known here, to enlist in the army and share the burden in the work force, wrote on his Facebook page: “To the 543,458 Israel citizens who voted for Yesh Atid, you have succeeded in moving the equality mantle.” Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, whose hard-line Jewish Home party joined the coalition on condition that the referendum law be endorsed, said that taking any peace agreement reached with the Palestinians to the Israeli people is essential.
“For the first time, an issue at the heart of the conflict of Israeli society will be solved. Dramatic change will come,” commented Science and Technology Minister Yaakov Peri, speaking after the law had passed. “The main point of this law is to prevent tearing apart our country by using political maneuvers,” said Bennett, who opposes and independent Palestinian state or dividing Jerusalem. “If there is a decision to give up our lands, then it will have to go back to the people to decide.”
But despite the accolades, the legislation, which has been touted as the “sharing of the burden law,” received harsh criticism from ultra-Orthodox leaders, both political and spiritual, who said that the haredim would resist all efforts and take all measures to ensure that they do not serve in the military. In September, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas also said that he would take any peace deal reached with Israel to the Palestinian people for approval.
“The State of Israel has lost the right to be called a Jewish and democratic state today,” said Haredi Knesset member Moshe Gafni. “The haredi public will not forgot and will not forgive [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his partners for what they caused.” Although the referendum law could complicate any eventual peace deal, experts said it might backfire against its backers.
He added: “This is a black day for the state and for the government. No yeshiva student will enlist, not today and not in the future.” “They believe that people would not give their agreement to withdraw from the [Palestinian] territories, and the initiative to have a referendum is meant to put a stick in the wheels of the peace process,” said Dana Blander, a researcher at the Israeli Democracy Institute. “But it might be a double-edged sword, in the sense that if a referendum approves an agreement, those who are against it will have no legal way to fight it.”
Almost as soon as the law was passed, the groups against the law petitioned the High Court in an attempt to overturn it. Critics believe that the element in the law concerning criminal sanctions, including time in jail, for those who refuse to enlist is deeply problematic. The referendum measure passed hours after the ultra-Orthodox draft law, another bill heralded by its backers as a historic achievement. Supporters say it will address a deep societal imbalance between secular Jews, who must serve in the army between ages 18 and 21, and ultra-Orthodox Jews, who study the Torah in state-funded religious schools called yeshivas and are almost universally exempt.
In a mass demonstration held here last week, an estimated 500,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews turned out to express their anger over the law. They prayed for a divine intervention against the governments attempts to force them to enlist. At the rally, ultra-Orthodox leaders urged their followers to resist efforts to draft them at all costs. After the vote, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, wrote on his Facebook page: “To the 543,458 Israel citizens who voted for Yesh Atid, you have succeeded in moving the equality mantle.”
“The core is very clear, they do not want to go to the army,” said Hebrew University Prof. Nachman Ben Yehudah, adding that the haredim believe studying religious scriptures should come above all else, including serving in the army. Yesh Atid was elected to the Knesset based on Lapid’s efforts to push the ultra-Orthodox — or haredim, as they are known in Hebrew — to serve in the army and participate more equally in the work force.
Despite the rhetoric from the ultra-Orthodox leaders, Bar Illan University history Prof. Kimmy Caplan said that the new law could bring about some changes. Ultra-Orthodox leaders condemned the new law.
“If you look at what the ultra-Orthodox leaders have said against using the Internet or smartphones and then you look at what is happening in real life, you realize that not everything they say is what happens on the haredi street,” he said. “That could very well be the case here, too.” “The State of Israel has lost the right to be called a Jewish and democratic state today,” said ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Moshe Gafni. “This is a black day for the state and for the government. No yeshiva student will enlist, not today and not in the future.”
Despite the rhetoric from ultra-Orthodox leaders, Bar-Ilan University Professor Kimmy Caplan said the new law could bring change.
“If you look at what the ultra-Orthodox leaders have said against using the Internet or smartphones, then you look at what is happening in real life, you realize that not everything they say happens,” he said.
Meanwhile, Caplan said, the main thrust of the law will begin in three years, a long time in Israeli politics.Meanwhile, Caplan said, the main thrust of the law will begin in three years, a long time in Israeli politics.
“Whoever structured this law did not want to confront the haredim during their term, but they could not leave the situation as it is,” he said, adding that the main implementation will likely only come after the next elections.“Whoever structured this law did not want to confront the haredim during their term, but they could not leave the situation as it is,” he said, adding that the main implementation will likely only come after the next elections.
The law is one of a trio of controversial bills agreed upon by the governing coalition. In addition to this law, the Knesset passed legislation that raises the number of votes political parties are required to win to gain a seat in the parliament, and on Thursday, a law calling for a national referendum on any peace deal Israel reaches with the Palestinians is likely to pass.
The three laws were all part of agreements made between the governing parties last year, and all coalition members were required to vote on them. The “sharing of the burden law” passed with 66 Knesset members in favor and one against. Opposition factions decided to boycott the votes on all three bills, protesting unfair tactics by the government.