A divide sprang up Tuesday between the Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi factions of the coalition over the potential punitive measures to be taken against yeshiva students who refuse to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. The Knesset members clashed at a meeting of the Knesset Committee for the Equal Sharing of the Burden. Yesh Atid MKs advocated criminal action against draft dodgers while Habayit Hayehudi were partial to financial penalties.
Committee Chairwoman MK Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi) said that financial penalties are a good idea, but that imposing criminal sanctions for refusing to enlist would have a negative impact on the ultra-Orthodox community. "Our goal is that, eventually, as many haredim as possible will enlist and then enter the workforce. The haredim have made it clear that within their community, imposing criminal sanctions would be tantamount to calling a Torah student a criminal."
Shaked listed the recommended financial sanctions: revocation of the right to public housing, no rent subsidies, revocation of the right to receive a mortgage from the state with a 3 percent fixed interest rate, and no municipal tax breaks. Additional housing subsidies would be also be revoked. Another option currently being discussed is to completely eliminate scholarships for 18-to-26-year-old yeshiva students who do not enlist in the military.
MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) objected to the recommendation to impose only financial sanctions, saying, "If the new law imposes financial sanctions on those who do not enlist rather than taking criminal action, it will lead to the destruction of the people's army model."
MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) claimed that if the new law defines yeshiva students as criminals, he will personally call upon the haredi community not to enlist.
"The haredim stand to make up a substantial part of the draft classes in the coming decade," IDF representative Gen. Gadi Agmon told committee members. "If the state does not work to advance the haredi draft in the coming years, the people's army model will collapse."