Proceed with caution
You can't say the equality of burden bill is "true to its name." Even if the haredim strictly follow every clause, they will not be taking on the share of national security responsibility that is proportionate to their numbers in the overall population. Implementing the law, though, will considerably reduce the current haredi preference for deferring enlistment, as compared with the secular and national religious, who are required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, or at least to complete national service.
The demand is justified, and it has taken on broad dimensions because both parties are pushing the envelope to achieve their goals. Finance Minister and Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid made headlines when he announced that his party will not remain in the coalition if criminal sanctions against haredi draft dodgers are not included in the law. A fine is not punishment enough, in his eyes.
As expected, the haredim oppose this move, and they are supported because of substantial vested interests on the part of other parties. Habayit Hayehudi does not represent the general Israeli public, only the quality segment of hesder yeshiva students, who generally enlist. And the security system, suffering under a shrinking budget, does not know how to absorb haredi soldiers who require expensive special accommodation.
The struggle for equality in the burden is now entering the beginning of its home stretch. A committee headed by Habayit Hayehudi faction chairwoman MK Ayelet Shaked will meet to vote on the clauses of the law. If they reach a unanimous conclusion, or at least a majority that would leave the haredim isolated, there will be no problems. But the political reality is complex.
As long as Lapid and Habayit Hayehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett are debating the very essence of equally sharing the burden, they are getting a free ride, each in his own camp. But the time will come for them to decide whether it is appropriate to dissolve the coalition over this issue. They will need to figure out how to feed the wolf without slaughtering the sheep.
At the moment, it seems that -- because their desire to hang onto the coalition outweighs their desire for a free ride -- they will be able to reach an agreement as follows: The law will include criminal sanctions against draft dodgers, or in certain cases, those evading national service. But since the law allows yeshiva students to defer enlistment until age 24, criminal sanctions must not be immediately enforced when the law takes effect.
Presumably, it would be appropriate to postpone the implementation of criminal sanctions for a while, until two or three years after the law takes effect. Otherwise, the defense minister will not be allowed to postpone them again. During this period, it will be revealed if economic sanctions, effective immediately, are sufficient to minimize the phenomenon of haredi draft dodging to a low enough level that allows society to deal with it without the need for incarceration.
Ultimately, it is best to proceed steadily but cautiously. Confrontation would not only dismantle the coalition, but create a rift in Israeli society as a whole. The right thing to do is to follow the Olympic slogan -- faster, higher, stronger, but with one change: slower, as well.
טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו