MK Avi Maoz, head of the Noam party, charged that the Israel Defense Forces are not genuinely interested in drafting chareidim in a way that allows them to complete their service while fully maintaining their religious identity.
Maoz made the remarks during an interview at the Kikar Hashabbat studio, with the full conversation set to air later tonight.
Maoz argued that the military has failed to create an environment that preserves the lifestyle and standards of chareidi recruits. “I think that the army is not doing what it needs to do so that a chareidi can enlist as a chareidi and also leave as a chareidi while preserving his way of life,” he said.
He explained that the core issue, in his view, is the lack of formalized protections. “Since the army does not anchor the service conditions of chareidim in IDF regulations, I am waiting for the army to anchor the chareidi service conditions in IDF regulations. Only then will I know that the army really wants to draft them so that they will be fighters and not in order to put them through the IDF melting pot to educate them anew.”
Maoz said his conclusion comes after a long period of evaluation. “I, to my great sorrow, and I say this after a long time, the army does not really want to draft the chareidim and have them also leave as chareidim.”
{Matzav.com}
During a tense appearance on Kan 11 News, MK Yuli Edelstein leveled fierce criticism at the coalition’s latest Draft Law proposal, insisting that the legislation is far from what the army actually requires. He argued that the bill is being pushed forward without genuine conviction and suggested that crucial pieces of the plan were never properly vetted.
Edelstein said the military is grappling with a shortfall of roughly 12,000 soldiers across combat and support roles, yet he believes the proposal fails to offer any meaningful solution to that staffing crisis. He also expressed frustration with last-minute items that appeared in the legislation—provisions he noted were never discussed throughout the year—claiming they were tacked on simply to manufacture disputes so that any eventual horse-trading could be marketed as political “achievements.”
Turning his attention to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Edelstein remarked, “I’ve known Netanyahu for 30 years. When something is important to him, he throws himself into it. That’s not what’s happening here. I know how many calls he makes and how many meetings he holds when he wants to get something passed. In this case – I haven’t seen that.” His comments underscored his belief that the prime minister has not been fully invested in steering the law to a workable outcome.
The Likud veteran didn’t mince words when discussing the text of the bill itself. “What’s written there is evasion, not enlistment. The Bismuth Law is, unfortunately, a law of evasion,” he said, labeling the draft as a blueprint that avoids the real problem rather than confronting it.
Edelstein cautioned that the political consequences could be severe, noting that dissatisfaction isn’t coming only from opponents of the government. “Opposition to this law isn’t coming from Kaplan demonstrators – it’s coming from Likud and Religious Zionism voters,” he warned, signaling potential turbulence for both the coalition and his own party.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar brushed aside the inflammatory claims coming from New York City’s soon-to-take-office mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who has publicly vowed to have Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu arrested the moment he steps into the city. Sa’ar, speaking with the New York Post during a stop in Midtown on Monday, said the dramatic threats have zero impact on Netanyahu’s intentions.
“I don’t want to enter into a legal debate with the elected mayor of New York,” Sa’ar said. “But I will only say or repeat what the prime minister had said himself, he will come to New York.”
Mamdani has been one of the loudest critics of Israel on the American political scene, repeatedly accusing the Jewish state of committing war crimes during its war against Hamas. Citing the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, he has insisted he would order Netanyahu’s detention should the prime minister visit New York City.
That declaration was quickly dismissed at the state level. New York Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized last week that Mamdani has absolutely no power to carry out such an act. “No, I do not, and the New York City mayor has not had the power to do that,” Hochul said, making clear that the threat was purely rhetorical.
Even with the heated language flying from City Hall-elect, Sa’ar signaled he was not entirely closing the door on future engagement. “I hope that we will have, in the future, maybe, a constructive dialogue, even though I can be skeptical about it,” he told the Post.
{Matzav.com}
