Bennett Proposes Economic Plan for Haredi IDF Conscription

Naftali Bennett, former Israeli prime minister and head of the Yachad party, unveiled an alternative plan for haredi conscription on Friday, sharply criticizing the current approach to the issue.

"The haredim are not to blame," Bennett declared at 'Megiddo Junction', a Friday cultural event at the Megiddo Regional Council. "They were captured in a system that led them from infancy against Zionism, against democracy and against core studies. That's how they were educated, we are to blame for allowing this to happen."

Bennett dismissed conventional solutions to the draft question. "The proposal that haredi dealmakers will determine exemption percentages is impractical, we already tried quotas and it didn't work," he said. "It will start wheeling and dealing and discrimination and an exemption industry. Jail and tanks and police won't work either, a pretext for protest demonstrations, rebellion and incitement."

Instead, Bennett presented a plan based on economic and educational incentives. "What will work? A program for conscription to work and education," he explained. "Whoever doesn't enlist won't receive a shekel from the State of Israel. Whoever doesn't work won't receive a shekel from the State of Israel." According to him, "We will establish yeshivas on the border that will enable us to release reservists because they will both study and do guard duty."

Bennett also addressed the haredi education issue: "Our program will also focus on education funding: want to send your child to a system of 'we'll die and not enlist'? Do it on your own dime, not on the account of the State of Israel and the serving public."

The remarks came against the backdrop of a turbulent election campaign, in which the Yachad party is attempting to position itself as an alternative to the current Netanyahu government. Just two days earlier, a meeting took place between Bennett and Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, in which the two discussed the actions required to achieve victory in the election campaign.

The Yachad party submitted its list for the 26th Knesset earlier this month, boasting that the top of the list includes 50% women, two former prime ministers, four former ministers, and 11 reservists who together accumulated more than 3,000 reserve duty days in Operation Swords of Iron. The party chose the letter Bet, the historic letter associated with Religious Zionism, thereby forgoing the letters "Peh" associated with Yair Lapid's party, who is joining the list in second place.

It should be noted that in recent weeks a heated public debate has been conducted around the issue of haredi conscription, with various parties presenting different positions. Brigadier General (Res.) Ram Aminach, former financial advisor to the IDF Chief of Staff, recently published a viral video in which he attacked the sharp change in the rules of the game and the harm to 26-27-year-old yeshiva students with families and children, defining the measures as "persecution out of hatred."