After many promises, statements and arguments, the
Government Secretariat was served with the Knesset Committee for Promoting
Equal Share of the Burden report Thursday morning.
The report was given in the
form of a bill requesting to make historic changes in regards to the haredi
society. Ynet received the full report detailing the plan in question, which is
expected to trigger turmoil and be in the heart of public debate in the next
few months.
The committee, which
was purposed to draft a law to replace the expired Tal Law, was headed by
Minister Yaakov Peri (Yesh Atid), and was constantly followed by fear of rage
within the haredi community and threats of mass protests.
Two months of
intensive discussions with ministers, IDF representatives, theJustice Ministry
and the Civil Service Authority among others, led to a comprehensive reform in
military recruitment.
According to the
bill, at the end of a three-year transition period, the haredi society should
also bear the burden of army service, which is supposed to be shortened for all
men from 36 months of mandatory service to 32. Women's service will be extended
from 24 to 28 months.
The extensive reform
includes recruitment incentives, sanctions for draft evaders and yeshivas, an
enforcement system and one crucial bottom line: As of August 1, anyone aged 18 will be
obligated to serve the country either in military or civil service at the end
of a deferment period allowed for Torah study until the age of 21.
To compare,
the Plesner Committee, established in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's
previous term and its recommendations were not accepted, proposed postponement
until the age of 22.
Gradually, and after
the transition period, the committee aims to reach high recruitment rates by
2016: Recruiting 5,200 of 8,000 haredim in a cycle (65%, for military and civil
service). Exemption will be given to 1,800 exceptional Torah scholars, and
1,000 others are expected to "drop out" due to medical and other
reasons. The Plesner Committee discussed 1,500 exemptions in every cycle, yet
the Yesh Atid proposal claims that "very few" will be exempt.
This coming Sunday,
in a long meeting expected to go on into the night, the ministers are expected
to approve the proposal items one by one, and then the bill will be raised to
the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, after which it will be submitted for
further proceedings in the Knesset.
Personal
responsibility of yeshiva heads
Every 17-year-old military service candidate is already
bound to report for registration and examination (first notice). The new bill
proposes creating a center for haredi absorption within the defense system.
Not reporting to duty
will lead to criminal sanctions provided by law. In addition, a 17-year-old not
reporting will not be able to be included in future unique yeshiva programs
(such as service deferment) and will not be budgeted for yeshiva studies from
age 18.
The bill states that
in the final outline, service postponement will be given solely from age 18 to
21 for Torah study.
The new law bears personal liability on the yeshiva heads
for the first time. Service deferment will be subject to yeshiva students and
heads filing statements that the student is in fact studying, and committing to
reporting any condition changes during that period of time. Filing a false
affidavit would be a criminal offense.
In addition, the
yeshiva heads will be obligated to take attendance and submit periodic reports
to the IDF on those who postponed their service.
Whoever was deferred from
service to "study Torah" will be obligated to complete to 45 hours of
yeshiva studies a week. However, in order to include haredim in the workforce,
during periods in which yeshiva students will receive professional training (by
the Ministry of Economy), they will only be obligated to complete to 30 hours
of studying a week.
Moreover, it will be
prohibited to work at the time of service postponement (even beyond studying
hours), and yeshiva students will not be allowed out of country.
Will enforcement
work?
After the deferment, the program seeks to require every
yeshiva student to report to a haredi absorption center, located in the main
haredi cities. The IDF will choose who to recruit and who to send to civil
service. Anyone whose civil service is terminated will be returned to the army
and obligated in service.
The defense minister, assisted by a list served by yeshiva
committee heads, will decide who would be those 1,800 "prodigies"
that would continue to be exempt in every cycle. If the yeshiva heads will not
cooperate, the bill states, the minister will determine the recipients of the
exemption. In any case, the exempt will be obligated to continue studying in
the yeshiva until the age of 26.
In light of the
dramatic changes, the bill requires the establishment of an enforcement and
supervision mechanism, which will be vital in reaching the high goals of
recruitment rates. As for locating yeshiva dropouts – the IDF will be assisted
by the enforcement mechanism, and yeshiva heads will be asked to transfer a
financial guarantee in order to prevent false affidavits regarding the number
of students.
A report will be
handed every six months to the Knesset Committee for Promoting Equal Share of
the Burden and also to a Knesset committee to be formed for this purpose. The
Education Ministry will provide the IDF with information on audits conducted in
the different yeshivas.
What are the
incentives and sanctions?
Budget cuts for yeshivas (for every 10% margin from the
target recruitment goal, 10% of overall yeshiva budget will be cut)
Financial incentives for yeshivas with a high recruitment
rate
Continued budget transfer for students leaving the yeshivas
for the service (financial rates will depend on meeting targets)
A recruited yeshiva student will still be counted in order
to reach minimum students required at the yeshiva, until a year after his
recruitment
Personal statements by student and yeshiva head: False
affidavits and violation of conditions will be considered a criminal offense
Possibility of imposing fines for failure to report Failure to report after deferment or dropping out of the
yeshiva will result in immediate recruitment.
Another controversial issue raised in the Committee is that
of the national-religious hesder yeshivas.
Service time for members of the
program will be initially extended from 16 to 17 months. At the end of the
transition period (July 2016) and for three years, the service will be
gradually extended (two-three months every year), so that at the end it would
stand on 24 months. The hesder yeshiva program will be open for the haredi
community as well.
In regards to the
civil service, which is expected to grow significantly in scope (today it is at
1,100 spots in every cycle), a special authority dealing with environment,
health, homeland security and immigrant absorption will be established, and 200
spots will be allocated for education outside the community. Steps for
increasing Arab recruitment were also suggested.
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