Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reiterated his stance on Sunday, urging lawmakers to address legislation regarding the military draft exemptions for members of the chareidi community, despite facing criticism from within the coalition.
“The army requires manpower urgently. This is not a matter of politics but simple mathematics,” he emphasized.
Gallant’s remarks followed his earlier statement that he would support legislation on this issue only if it gained the endorsement of centrist ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot. This stance significantly reduces the chances of the coalition passing a bill favoring Haredi interests without bipartisan support.
Speaking from the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, Gallant stressed the importance of national service, stating, “While we respect and value those devoted to Torah study, physical security is essential for spiritual well-being. Our current security challenges demand shared responsibility from all sectors of society.”
He highlighted the strain on manpower within the IDF due to ongoing conflicts, including clashes with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and tensions with Hezbollah along the northern border.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, of the Otzma Yehudit party, criticized Gallant’s stance, accusing him of pushing for early elections.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu should make it clear to Gallant: Either you align with us or resign. The same applies to Benny Gantz. Without 64 Knesset seats, we will have 63,” Ben Gvir asserted.
Several members of Netanyahu’s coalition are believed to support Gallant’s position, as various Likud members have questioned the rationale behind blanket exemptions in recent months.
Successive Netanyahu administrations have struggled to reach consensus on legislation regarding chareidi military service since a 2017 High Court ruling deemed blanket exemptions discriminatory and unlawful.
Efforts to draft such legislation have failed to bridge the gap between mainstream lawmakers advocating for equal sharing of military duties and the chareidi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, which insist on retaining exemptions, upon which Netanyahu’s governments have often relied to maintain power.
Reports in the Hebrew media suggest that Gallant, who initially entered politics with Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu party before joining Likud in 2019, has denied any intention to leave Likud.
“I understand that some may be disappointed, but I remain committed to Likud,” Gallant reportedly affirmed during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
The issue of chareidi military exemptions has regained prominence in recent weeks following the IDF’s announcement of plans to extend mandatory service terms and delay retirement for reservists, amid preparations for prolonged conflict in Gaza and potential warfare with Hezbollah.
The conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7, initiated by Hamas’s attack on Israel, resulting in significant civilian casualties. Israel responded with military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas and securing the release of abducted hostages.
The IDF mobilized approximately 287,000 reservists, marking the largest-ever call-up in Israel’s history, although many have since been released from duty.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Sharing the burden means no exceptions for any college students whatsoever—additionally, journalists (like Yair lapid) and singers and all of the secular “special exemptions” need to all be in combat units
Why is Gallant’s mask torn at the neck?
So after they arm and train 100,000 Charedim who will take orders from the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah — what will the chilonim do then?
If you need manpower now, Mr. Gallant, than you can easily get it by accomedating what the Chareidy soldiers need. The fact that you insist on ignoring their basic needs and rights proves that you’re just plating politics. Political games are destroying Israel. This is a very dangerous situation.
Political Grandstanding.
NOW ?? After they are winding down the number of troops !
This lowlife bum is fully responsible for all the Jewish blood that was flowing on Oct 7th. Now, he wants to divert the attention away from himself and his miserable failures by shifting the blame to chareidem???! A real erev rav rasha merusha. Pheh!
He might have been replaced with an Arab like Bibi.
He might have been replaced with an Arab like Bibi several years before the Oct 8 massacre.
Go get some arab friends of urs
““The army requires manpower urgently. This is not a matter of politics but simple mathematics,” he emphasized.”
Lying Zionist heretic (mostly redundant). So disgusting that these heretics have the same names as do holy people from Tanach.
If the Zionists really needed more soldiers then they could import them and pay them to fight for them.
Regardless, the chareidim are an exempt class, as per the deal the Zionists made with Agudah at the beginning. If the Zionists draft (and therefore shmad) the chareidim, the Zionists will only hasten the disappearance of their idol and its State.