Cabinet approves changes to Israel's draft law

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM -- Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved changes to the country's draft law to increase conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, putting an end to a decades-long exemption, but not the political debate surrounding the issue.

The twofold move aims to increase ultra-Orthodox participation in the military and other avenues of national service, and advance their integration into the Israeli workforce.

"This is an historic day," said Finance Minister Yair Lapid, adding that correcting the 65-year old "injustice" will benefit both the ultra-Orthodox, known as Haredim, and Israeli society at large.

Sunday's cabinet approval clears a significant hurdle, but changes still need to be approved by the Knesset, Israel's 120-seat parliament, and the matter remains a controversial in Israeli society. However, the measure appears likely to pass.

http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-israel-draft-20130707,0,2496204.story

[geek tragedy]

1. So, the IDF will be even more extremist. nt

[bemildred]

2. The effects are very unpredictable, I would say.

These guys are not likely to make good soldiers, for one thing. And they have a great racket going, they are not going to like being drafted and having to work and take orders. You can tell by the way they talk that some of them are very immature.

But it's already a very divisive issue, this is an attempt to address that by introducing some semblance of equity in how the secular and the religious are treated.

[geek tragedy]

3. If I were a secular Israeli, I would welcome this development with open arms.

Long overdue.

[bemildred]

4. Yes. A lot of them don't like it.

As policy it is a mistake too. It's very divisive, it perpetuates trouble, you have different classes of citizen based on religious affiliation.