“Brit hameshartim” should be the definition of the next government. The situation is quite clear, as a country, as a Zionist country, we cannot tolerate the current situation. We cannot tolerate a coalition that depends on a party which excuses a portion of the population from serving in the army, or at least in some other form of national service. The law says that all able-bodied citizens should, at age 18 be conscripted into the IDF, or volunteer to do some form of national service. This must include Arab citizens also. I want to see teeth put into this law. It is quite simple to do this; just make it clear that those who fail to serve will also fail to receive benefits that generally apply to all citizens. Benefits like child allowance, subsidized housing, preschool child care, you name it. This condition must apply to all citizens, including Arab citizens. The argument that those who study Torah also serve has no halachic foundation, the Torah is very specific about who may be excused from military service; it doesn’t mention those who study. I would like to see a law which would remove financial support from any educational system that didn’t include a week’s seminar, led by IDF rabbis, at the end of the school year for 16 and 17 year old boys, discussing this topic.
I will not vote for any party in the upcoming elections unless that party makes it crystal clear that it will not join a coalition that includes a party that will block meaningful laws of this nature. If this results in electoral chaos, so be it. Let there be multiple elections until we can form a government with responsibility, a government that we can be proud of, in a country we can be proud of.
stephenscohen.com 