It would appears that Bayit Yehudi ministers and MKs are finding themselves in a bit of an uncomfortable position as Minister of Environmental Affairs (The Movement) Yair Peretz in his capacity as a member of the Knesset Share the Burden Committee wants hesder students to increase their military time. Peretz pointed out that under the new laws still being developed chareidim will have to serve 24 months in the IDF or approved national service. That being the case, he feels that hesder talmidim must serve at least the same amount of time, and not 16 months as is the case today. The additional months would be taken from their years of beis medrash time. Peretz explained to committee colleagues that sharing the burden most include hesder.

Bayit Yehudi representative to the committee Housing Minister Uri Ariel is adamantly opposed to such a move, stating the matter pertaining to hesder talmidim will have to be discussed at length. Ariel also stated earlier that he will not play a hand in government decision that will lead to the closure of yeshivos as the government plans to significantly cut state funding for yeshivos.

1,500 hesder talmidim are inducted annually, all serving in a hesder network for 60 months, of which 16 are in actual military service and the remainder in a yeshiva framework. The committee recommends inducting 2,000 chareidim in 2013 and increasing that number in the coming years.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)