MK Pindrus Says He Opposes IDF Service Because Chareidi Soldiers ‘Leave Religion’ In The Army

United Torah Judaism MK Yitzchok Pindrus sparked controversy on Monday with his remarks regarding mandatory military service for chareidi Jews, arguing that he cannot support it due to the “heavy price” paid by national religious soldiers—specifically, he claimed that they “leave religion” as a result of their service.

Times of Israel reports that during a conference hosted by the Israel Democracy Institute, Pindrus was asked, “When you look at the vast rate of fallen soldiers from the religious Zionist [community], how can you explain… that it still does not prompt the community that you represent to come and say… we are coming to share the burden?”

In response, Pindrus stated that although he feels embarrassed about his community’s failure to serve and cannot “look [national religious] Jews in the eye,” he would still not support chareidi enlistment. “But there is one thing that I also see,” he continued. “I see the price that [national religious soldiers] are paying — in leaving religion. That’s the reason I’m not there [backing chareidi military service].”

He emphasized, “I see the price and they are paying a very heavy price,” implying that the exposure to secular influences during military service leads some national religious soldiers to adopt a less religious lifestyle.

The national religious community, unlike the chareidi community, is required to perform mandatory military service and has sustained significant losses during Israel’s ongoing war on multiple fronts, which has been waged for over 14 months.

Pindrus’s comments quickly generated widespread reaction, with other Knesset members accusing him of exemplifying the “disconnect” between the Chareidi leadership and the rest of Israeli society.

Yesh Atid MK Meirav Cohen, visibly angered by Pindrus’s claim that national religious soldiers pay a “heavy price” by leaving religion, countered, “What about the price [those who are killed in service] are paying by leaving life?” She further criticized the chareidi leadership for continuing to support the exemption law while showing disrespect for the working and serving public.

MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen, from Benny Gantz’s National Unity party, expressed her dismay, saying, “I am coming from the funeral of [Staff Sgt. Yuval Shoham], the hero, and I see this.” Shoham, a member of the religious Zionist community from Jerusalem, was killed in northern Gaza on Sunday during a military operation in the Jabalia area. Farkash-Hacohen called Pindrus’s comments “another example of the disconnect and moral decline of the Chareidi leadership during this war.”

Farkash-Hacohen also raised the issue of hostility towards religion, questioning Pindrus, “What about the hatred of religion and religious people that this government and people like you have fomented in the general public?”

National Unity MK Matan Kahana expressed sorrow over Pindrus’s remarks, describing them as “mainly sad, because it shows that our Chareidi brothers don’t even begin to understand what we are going through.”

In a separate development, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu reportedly reached out to United Torah Judaism party chairman and Housing Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf from his hospital bed, just one day after undergoing prostate surgery. Netanyahu assured Goldknopf that the Knesset would proceed with a conscription law, as demanded by the chareidi community.

According to the Kan national broadcaster, Goldknopf responded by recalling that Netanyahu had previously made a similar promise and reiterated his threat to vote against a budget-related bill unless a draft of the legislation that meets his demands is presented. He added that the Agudas Yisrael faction within UTJ would vote against the bill as a “warning sign,” according to an Agudas Yisrael official cited by the Walla news site.

Goldknopf emphasized that he was “not looking to bring down the government” but simply wanted Netanyahu to “finally fulfill his commitment.”

On Monday morning, the Hamodia daily reported that members of Agudas Yisrael believe there is “no point” in supporting the Trapped Profits Law unless the issue of IDF exemptions for yeshiva students is resolved, leading them to decide to vote against it. Passing legislation to secure chareidi exemptions from military service, after they were struck down by the High Court earlier this summer, has become one of Goldknopf’s top legislative priorities.

{Matzav.com Israel}