Does Mk Meir Porush (UTJ) make a good point?
A report was just exposed to the public that says the IDF is planning to reform its system of service for administrative positions - due to having a surplus of soldiers. They have so many soldiers with nothing to do that they have set up a committee to analyze the situation and recommend a solution - possibly the shortening of army service for certain parts of the army, from 3 years of service to 2.
Porush says in response to the report that behind the slogan of "shivyon bnetel" clearly lies only a desire to fight against those who learn Torah. It does not make sense that they have to forcibly draft haredim, claiming the army needs them, when the army already has thousands of unemployed soldiers that the army has no use for.
source: Bechadrei
does he have a good argument? while there is a surplus of soldiers n certain parts of the army, there is also a shortage in other parts - such as combat units. While some haredim would go into administrative positions, in which there is a surplus, some will also go to combat or other units where there is a need.
While there might be room to discuss percentages, and length of service, and take into consideration that status of different units and divisions, I do not think there is a place to say the entire thing is a farce and no haredim are needed. That is not true. no haredim are needed in certain units, but in other units they are needed just like every other sector of society is.
Unfortunately the Haredi MKs refused to cooperate and participate in the discussions and debates in finding an appropriate solution, so coming now with claims that things were not done 100% properly is disingenuous. They had a chance to influence the makeup of the haredi draft, but decided the right thing to do was not participate.
I do not know if MK Porush is right or wrong. But even if he is right, he should have worked to make the haredi draft more efficient and targeted over the past months, and not just stand around complaining as if that is going to stop it from happening.
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