Even as envoys for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Kadima head
Shaul Mofaz continue to work on a compromise for a new universal
service bill, Netanyahu warned the cabinet Sunday
about "overreaching" and advocated a gradual approach to drafting
haredim.
"I believe this process will only succeed if it is done gradually,
but I want to say that the gradual approach we are discussing is very
ambitious," he said.
According to Netanyahu, a number of years ago almost no haredim went
into the army. "Last year that number stood at 2,400, and we are
talking about bringing the number to 6,000 within four years."
Netanyahu characterized proposals to immediately calling into service
all 18-year old haredim as "overreaching," and said this may actually
decrease the number of haredim going into the service.
These proposals, he said, "are perhaps good for headlines, but it is
doubtful if they are possible to implement."
He said that it is reasonable to think that the haredim would react
to such proposals by refusing to enter in the IDF even through the
frameworks now available.
"A situation could be created that if we take too extreme a step, the
number of those going into the army and serving will decrease, rather
than increase," he warned.
Netanyahu, who said he wanted to see more participation in the IDF or
national service by both hardim and Arabs, said this needed to be
done in a way that would not create major societal rifts.
Netanyahu postponed a vote on a new universal service bill from
Sunday to next week, to give himself more time to broker a compromise
in his coalition between Kadima and the haredi parties, Likud sources
said Saturday night.
