Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to meet at the Knesset on Monday with representatives of military reservists who oppose the Tal Law, which exempts ultra-Orthodox youth from serving in the army. The reservists, who call themselves "Mahane Hafrayerim" (literally, the "Camp of Suckers") have voiced discontent that while they have to serve in the IDF and complete yearly reserve duty until they are in their 40s, the ultra-Orthodox youth do not serve at all, and moreover receive government stipends. They were expected to also meet with representatives of the Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Labor and Independence factions at the Knesset on Monday, in an attempt to convince Knesset members to form a majority coalition that would block the Tal Law. The reservists are also planning to protest the legislation outside of the Knesset next week. Meanwhile, dozens of demonstrators from various organizations including Mitpakdim, the Israeli Forum for Equal Service, the Wakeup social movement, high school students who signed a petition against draft-dodging, and the IDF disabled veterans organization, demonstrated on Sunday in front of the Prime Minister's Office against the government's intention to extend the Tal Law. Ofir Yehezkeli, one of the leaders of the Mitpakdim organization, said on Sunday, "not only does the [Tal] law discriminate between citizens regarding their civil burdens, it perpetuates low employment rates in the Orthodox community. The extension of the law, contrary to the recommendations of three different committees, would be the equivalent of spitting in the face of the majority of Israel's citizens." Netanyahu, who had initially voiced his intention to extend the law, decided instead to avoid a coalition crisis on Friday and not put the extension of the controversial law to a vote by the coalition, which is deadlocked on the issue, but rather to enact a general Knesset vote. Netanyahu wants to extend the law by more than one year (Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said he wants the law extended by only one year), but fewer than five years (the maximum sought by the ultra-Orthodox party, Shas). Netanyahu has been trying to reach a compromise that would bridge the gaps between all coalition parties. The decision to cancel next Sunday's Cabinet vote on the issue essentially prevented a coalition crisis with Yisrael Beitenu, headed by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, which stridently opposes extending the law. The Tal Law was drafted to encourage young ultra-Orthodox men to enlist voluntarily, but it has patently failed to increase the amount of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men joining the army by any significant number. Barak has suggested extending the law, but only for one year, during which an adequate and more relevant alternative will be formulated. The defense minister said Thursday that he felt "this law has outlived its usefulness and does not provide a solution to the main problem it was established to address: an imbalance in the carrying of the burden." Barak added there should be 2,000-3,000 slots saved for "Torah prodigies" who will continue to study in yeshivas, but that the rest of the ultra-Orthodox youth would take part in serving and then go on to join the work force.
