PM: 'Historic change' to come with new enlistment plan

[Chris]

PM: 'Historic change' to come with new enlistment plan
By LAHAV HARKOV
07/22/2012 19:15
Vice Premier presents ministers with outline to replace "Tal Law;" personal and institutional sanctions to be implemented only if enlistment goals – 6,000 haredim in IDF, 5,000 Israeli-Arabs in National Service by 2016 – are not met.
Haredim stand atop IDF Merkava tank Photo: REUTERS

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced a "historic change" is about to take place, before Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon's presentation of his proposal to replace the "Tal Law" to the cabinet on Sunday. "The purpose of the plan is to significantly increase the number of haredim serving in the IDF and the number of haredi and Arab citizens doing civilian service," Netanyahu explained. "We will pass a new law that will incrementally raise the number of people serving – among haredim and Arabs – without inciting one group against another."

Ya'alon's plan seeks to raise the number of haredim enlisting in the IDF or doing national service from the current 2,400 to 6,000 by 2016, and lower the age of exemption from 28 to 26. The goal for Arab civilian service in 2016 is 5,000, more than double the current amount (2,400). Today, 400 Israeli Arabs volunteer in the IDF, and the government is not seeking to significantly increase that number. The prime minister pointed out that the change of policy comes after 64 years of the state's existence, and that reality has changed over time.

more..................PM: 'Historic change' to come wit... JPost - Diplomacy & Politics

[readytogo]

Well, I understand the desire to get more of the haredim to do military/public service, but the Arab Israelis just kind of scare me a bit about their service...

[Chris]

Well, I understand the desire to get more of the haredim to do military/public service, but the Arab Israelis just kind of scare me a bit about their service...

I know what you mean. I can just see a situation where a looney Arab-Israeli soldier goes on a shooting rampage like that guy did in the US. They need to make sure they screen these people well.