Can Israel Katz solve the draft conundrum? 

During a briefing today (Monday) before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that he is determined to pass a draft law - and quickly, according to Army Radio.

Katz said that "when I started the job, I traveled to meet with the Attorney General and I told her - in all the ministries I've been in, I did things no-one dared do, like the open skies" policy which liberalized Israeli air travel. "I am the right man to pass the draft law."

Katz said that "I will take reasonable time to form my principles and pass this law."

He then presented his core principles:

1. Discussion and dialogue with all sides

2. Effective integration of the Charedi community into the security establishment.

3. Preserving the Torah world - tracks which will preserve the Charedi way of life.

Katz told the committee that his ultimate goal is to draft some 50% of each draft cohort within the Haredi community: "Imagine that half the Haredim enlist, they and their children enter into the circle of the IDF."