The IDF must change to a volunteer military system and release all Israelis who do not wish to serve, Heritage Minister Rabbi Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit) said in an Army Radio interview on Thursday morning.
“Even if every Israeli gets drafted there will never be equality in the IDF,” the minister charged. “We have to release anyone who does not want to serve, turn the military into a professional one.”
Eliyahu’s comments come amid ongoing coalition talks regarding a new draft law for ultra-Orthodox Israelis, as well as division plaguing the coalition this week on whether or not they should agree to a judicial reform compromise after an outline was leaked on Monday.
On Wednesday, Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf warned that if the draft law isn’t passed in the Knesset’s winter session, the government may be at risk of collapsing.
Meanwhile, the reform legislation will be frozen until the draft law is passed, he added.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu attends a government conference at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem on January 8, 2023. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)Minister Eliyahu: The High Court is paralyzing us
Speaking on the potential constitutional crisis in Israel, Eliyahu said, “we have an issue when justices think they are above the law.
“We’ve entered office to promote our policies and we can’t because both our arms and legs are tied. Government offices are paralyzed due to the High Court of Justice.
“You cannot run a nation like this,” the heritage minister lamented.
Ariella Marsden contributed to this report.
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