Israel seeks crackdown on women who fake religiosity to dodge IDF

I am not sure that forcing people to join a military would make it stronger. How can the military be strong if it comprises of people who are not motivated to fight? Its better to have a smaller army of motivated people rather than a large army of unmotivated people.

They will become even more intransigent. Even assuming the government could or would be able to imprison so many thousands of haredim, they will view it as a mitzva and even a privilege to suffer for the sake of the Torah. Bear in mind that such measures would never pass Supreme Court review. As I understand it, Nahal Haredi is succeeding, because there is at least tacit acquiescence, if not outright endorsement, from leading Haredi sages and Roshei Yeshivot. This is the way to effect change in this matter. Trying to force haredim to disobey their rabbis is useless and counter-productive. Engaging them and discussing it, especially with the rabbis will likely achieve much better results.

In response to the Pavlovian reaction to any discussion of haredi army service, folks, please realize that NO ONE can be forced, coerced, compelled to serve in the army. Any more than they can be compelled to study in a yeshiva. It only works through persuasion. So the entire secular objection then seems to be: "It's not fair that you (the government, society, etc.) have succeeded in persuading me and my children to serve, while not having succeeded in convincing the haredim of the need to serve." All the infantile threats of deportation, revoking citizenship (what will you do then with the Israeli Arabs?), inprisonment, etc., are just an expression of frustration with the situation. None of these suggestions are workable, legal, or practical. On the other hand, the Nahal Haredi is quietly expanding its ranks, perhaps not as fast or dramatically as some would like. The more you scream and threaten, the more you cause the haredim to "circle the wagons." - Continued.

Recently haaretz published that only 15% of men who on't go the army actually study in a Yeshiva. Why would Zahal crackdown on women, for whom army service should be voluntary. But men: thay received so much from their country, thay should be grateful and also give back a few years of their life (no need to pay them: this is a service to our country - if they are married, their wife may work to provide for the home). If they want to study a little first, this is OK: Zahal will benefit of more mature, responsible soldiers.

...would be to check their cellphone activity on shabbat.slam dunk indication if they're religious or not.

someone said if Israel has to fight the Arabs for a time period longer than 3 months, there will be mass desertions in the Israeli army.

I'm not sure how much you know about the Israeli army, but this claim that "women shouldn't serve because it's not a female job to carry around bombs and shoot at people" is a wrong one. Not a single woman is forced to carry anything or demonstrate any physical straight. Most women in the army do paper/computer work which is like regular work they'll probably do, if not better. And if not army, then national service. As I said in my previous post, in the national service they never run out of stuff to do. If men are forced to give away 3 young years of their life, women can certainly at least give 2.

While I believe that compulsory military conscription is a violation of freedom and human rights, Israel needs army and it needs a compulsory conscription to survive. And as long as compulsory military service exists, it should be compulsory for everyone, including women. I don't understand why there's even such a problem with girls pretending to be religious? Why should religious people be except? When did it become so that being religious is like an invulnerability card to conscription? All the talk about separating real religious women from fakers is stupid because they should all be forced to serve and if they army doesn't need so many, there's always national service. There, there's always work. The army rabbinate turned the army into a ridiculously gender-separatist environment, so at the very least use this fact to draft the religious people. They should serve like everyone else.

I realize the IDF is no not that hard up for women to serve in the Israel Defense Forces and so please understand no not all women are physicialy fit enough many eat worse than you think I physicialy never could would qualify as I was too weak physicialy for the military and so i am a man as many as fifty 50 per cent % of the women in Israel probably fall below the standards needed thus give them deferments rather than fill the ranks with soldiers no not physicialy fit RIGHT ??? Thank You... M. S.

When the disease might easily be dealt with permanently, it is folly to wast time treating the symptoms. Israel chooses to support with taxpayer money people who insist upon subverting the armed forces and nation while refusing to contribute anything worthwhile to society. Draft Dodgers and soldiers who refuse orders are just symptoms. The 'above and beyond the law' status of Israel's religious right is the disease. Treating the symptoms will fail because Israel both feeds, protects and permits the cancer that is at the root of the symptoms.

Its the least you can do for you country, its not slavery is love for your land and for the people, be prepare you are surrounding by enemies, support the soldier always

They don't have to serve in the IDF just because they beliueve in Fairy Tales? My grand daughter believes in Harry Potter's stuff- should she be excempt??? And, pray tell, why did I have to serve and fight so the religious can stone my car on shabat? And where in the bible are the jews forbidden from fighting??? Why are we letting these parasites dictate conditions to us? Time to revolt against the charedim's schnor and lack of contribution to our country. Do not excempt them- make them work for the land like the rest of us do.

End the slavery. mandatory service keeps teh country safe. It is the freeloader element the draft dodgers that are destroying the country. They feel they have no bneed to serve and do their duty while other do the fighting and dying for them. Such arrogance. Military service matures ISrael men and women, makes them diwsciplined, they have many options ionce they leave teh service. Draft dodgers. revoke their passportds until they serve. Let them stay in Israel. If found to be deserters, they should get a special coloured license plate (yellow) until they step up and do their srvice.

Then you automatically get the best people, the ones who REALLY want to serve and defend their country, not people drafted in who would rather be any place else and hate every minute of their service. The system needs an overhaul for sure, look at the numbers volunteering for combat, up 6%, if their was a viable career driven military like the USA, UK, etc these people would have a job for life. Israel's problem is the draft, look at Shalit, and 2nd Leb. war.etc As soon as the body bags start filling up there is public outcry, it is different with a professional army. They made a choice.

why should the 'secular' be forced to defend the ultra and haredim kooks who cause all the trouble with their fantasies about 'judea and samara'... or their desire for a lazy sabbath?

We need to look at some issues. In the USA they tell people they are to fat to serve in their military and they block them from serving instead of what Israel practise in turning their fat into muscle. We have people who are in wheelchairs who can serve by using computers and be our satellite jockeys. They want to serve visciously. Make the ones who are claiming religious that and this chaplains or cooks. They can serve by doing kitchen duty or being chaperones to our youth as monitors in the sleep quarters as submoms of truth before God if they do not want to fight. Rankoo (Karoon)

nutjob or not. Merely tell the Doctor when you have a medical that you are glad to be becoming a soldier because the voices in your head have been telling you for some time that it will be fun to shoot up a room full of people. Mental illness is easy to fake and no responsible doctor will allow you to enlist.

Compulsory army service is a form of slavery, it belongs in the middle ages and has no place in a free society. Even if payed just an average wage, more than enough people will do it voluntarily.