One nation, one Barak
Barak must act, not talk. He must bring about the cancelation of the Tal Law; without an equal draft for everyone, the moral basis for compulsory service will be undermined and draft-dodging will increase.
By Nehemia ShtraslerEhud Barak set a new record for cynicism this week with his inflammatory speech against draft-dodging. "The Israel Defense Forces is gradually turning from the people's army into the army of half the people," he said. "The time has come to return to the days when serving was a privilege and an honor, and draft-dodging was like bearing the mark of Cain."
If Barak were a publicist or a columnist, he would have earned plaudits. But Barak is the very heart of the establishment. For years, he was at the center of Israel's decision-making, as chief of staff, minister and prime minister. He does not have the privilege of making lofty statements like a critic from the sidelines. His job is to do something. That is how he will be judged.
When he ran for prime minister in 1999, he coined the slogan "one nation, one draft." Many innocents voted for him out of the belief that he would keep his promise. But after beating Benjamin Netanyahu, Barak handed the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) their greatest victory ever: the Tal Committee, which gave legal backing to the most prevalent form of draft-dodging - Haredi draft-dodging.
Therefore, it takes no small degree of chutzpah to speak of combat soldiers who "feel like suckers" and are not sufficiently appreciated. After all, they feel this way because 50,000 young men just like them, who are just as healthy and just as talented, are enrolled in yeshivas (enrolled, not necessarily learning) and being "killed" in the tents of Torah, while they are being wounded and killed in defense of their country.
There is also draft-dodging among the secular, but on a much scaller scale. It is admittedly upsetting to see the new cultural icons - dime-a-dozen models and singers who evaded army service - but that is not the norm. The vast majority of both secular and religious Zionist youths are drafted and complete their full service.
Among the Haredim, 100 percent do not serve, whereas among the secular and the religious Zionists, only 17 percent fail to serve. Some are not drafted because they have health problems or criminal records, or reside overseas. Granted, there has been a worrying rise in the number of people who evade the draft by lying about the state of their health (mainly their psychological health); nevertheless, the vast majority - 83 percent - do serve and bear the burden.
Contrary to the prevailing wisdom, the IDF is interested in having the Haredim: The army is short on combat soldiers, combat support soldiers and logistics specialists. Major General Elazar Stern, head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, says he would like an extra battalion of Haredi conscripts, which would enable the army to forgo calling up 15 battalions of reservists a year. Reservists would be called up only for training, and would not have to engage in operational activity.
There is no halakhic problem with serving in the IDF. On the contrary, the Jewish sources state that during an obligatory war - a war for our existence - everyone must go out and fight, even "the groom from his wedding canopy."
There is also inequality of service in the hesder yeshivas (which combine Torah studies with army service). Hesder students serve for only 16 months, instead of the normal 36 months. In recent years, a growing number of yeshiva high school graduates have been choosing the hesder route instead of regular military service, which has reduced the IDF's manpower.
Therefore, we need to return to basic principles: "one nation, one draft," no exceptions. Haredim and hesder students also must serve 36 months, with no breaks or discounts. At the same time, however, we must raise conscripts' wages, which are disgracefully low.
The IDF is still the melting pot of Israeli society. Only there can a young man from Tel Aviv share a tent with a kibbutz member or a resident of the periphery. Only there can "Russians," "Ethiopians" and yuppies race together over the hills in squad exercises. There is no reason why Haredim and hesder students should not enter this melting pot fully.
Therefore, Barak must act, not talk. He must bring about the cancelation of the Tal Law and the true implementation of the Compulsory Service Law. Anyone who thinks this is impossible must understand that without an equal draft for everyone, the moral basis for compulsory service will be undermined, draft-dodging will increase, the desire to serve in combat units will decline and the IDF will cease being the people's army - which would endanger our very existence.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
I understand your problems with taking orders from those you consider unfit to lead. Fine. There is a simple solution. Leave. Leave the country and stop asking these you consider so unworthy and unclean to defend your oh so pure and holy behind and your welfare checks, oops, I mean government stipends. Leave now.
True the Jewish sources state that during an obligatory war - a war for our existence - everyone must go out and fight, even "the groom from his wedding canopy." But that does not mean one has to fight within the IDF. For taking orders from officers in the IDF IS a halachic problem. How can someone whose values stem from the Torah take orders from boaley nida, mchaleley shabas, and rotzchim? How can they take orders from those who sacrifice Jewish blood to protect Arab ?civilians?? How can they take orders to attack their fellow Jews. The Chazon Ish beared his chest to Ben Gurion; ?You can shoot us in the heart, but you won?t get us to serve in the IDF?. Fershtey?
I personally know three perfectly healthy young men, who with the support and backing of their secular/upper middle class parents and their connections with psychologists have gotten their sons out of the IDF.My son will be drafted next year and sometimes I think I am stupid to not do the same. It is a subject that seems to not talked about. Some of these secular/ wealthy families have related to the IDF as an option not an obligation. Their sons are talented musicians or artists and don't have to go. It is happeneing and has happened.
End exemptions for Haredim and Arabs. Force national service for everyone. Find something for the "infirm" to do. End the crazy double standards. I have heard that half of all children in Israel today are ultra-Orthodox or Arab. Will they sit back on their behinds while the shrinking core of secular Jews defend their lazy backsides? Enough rhetoric. One Nation, One Draft. The sooner the better.
Hopefully Barak will waste no more time in implementing the ONE NATION idea as daily one sees consumerism replacing Zionism as the ethic of Israel.
This still would leave out a significant portion of the population out of the draft--at least 20 percent. If the IDF is to be a true melting pot all citizens including the Arab population should have to participate. Old arrangements have proven unworkable.
Before the Lebanon war there was a proposal to reduce the length of service, which if it would have been followed would have stuck it to the "sucker" reservists, who have already done their full service, and no doubt would have had longer reserve duty due to shorter regular army service time. Reservists are more vital to the Israeli economy than 18-21 year olds who have not yet gotten an education or have needed employment skills. Take politics out of the IDF and get everyone who can to serve, including the Haredi. If Barak wants to be PM let him show what he can do about this problem first as DM.
Yes, the Heredim should serve. In any other society this would be an outrage. One group for some strange reason is allowed to have special "privileges" and not serve in the armed forces. What kind of political system would permit this atrocity?
The Nachal charaidi is all charaidim?
The author claims that "Among the Haredim, 100 percent do not serve." All I can say is that this is a blatant lie, and Shtrasler either knows this, or is a moron. Simply ask anyone who's ever been to the army - there are plenty of Chareidim of all types presently serving. I've seen plenty of mendacious reporting on Haaretz, but this really takes the cake.
...that our politicians can't be trusted! As long as there is large scale Haredi draft-dodging, you can call me Cain as long as you want.
OK, relevant statistics. But the most relevant one is: soldiers killed in Lebanon II War were mostly from kibutz, developing areas and 'russians', and almost none from Greater Tel Aviv. I sugest a israeli GI Bill favoring those who serve in combat units.
Some people do not like participating baal in war games hm. The democracy way.Do whatever feels good hm. We reap what we continue to sow especially.
Look at draft dodging as a check and balance of power, hey thats the democracy way. Imploding democracy with its own weapons upon itself. Like total overflow , overide the system, overheat, over cool, over debate, total overflow by all the elements including people , ah yeah baby on to the double day. When lions shall eat hay.No pain , No gain.
Ben Artzti,son of a professor and Netanyahu's nephew. "Haaretz" was supporting pilots refusing to perform combat missions and TA youths blocking TA streets in protest against the IDF. Now Strassler sheds crocodile tears and blames Haredim, on purpose of deflecting the flak from the offsprings of the Israeli elite,Lefties to the boot.