They have not been the master the Land for centuries. Before Jews, it was the British and the Ottoman Turks for hundreds of years. You are full of blind hatred.

I might strongly disagree, but there is such a Shita. However, the Rav whose comments are being reported here does NOT make that argument, and apparently does not hold of such a Shita – he gives other reasons, which are easily debunked. As such, the views of the Satmar Rav or the Brisker Rav are irrelevant to this discussion – as are your comments.

an Israeli Yid

However the article was about someone who supports the zionist position, but objects only to the anti-Torah manner in which the zionists have established their medinah.

At the above pertains to someone who is a zionist to begin with. An anti-zionist would have different objections (holding that killing the Arabs is prohbited since the zionists were engaged in a war of aggression contrary to halacha as Ha-Shem never authorized as to conquer Eretz Yisrael at this time under these conditions).

Let’s go through the issues raised one by one:

1. Kosher food – The army has been willing to do so, and in fact do so for the Nachal Chareidi. The army may not be willing to convert the entire army to Mehadrin standards, but they are not averse to making reasonable accommodations with respect to Kashrus.

2. “Make certain” soldiers will not be exposed to Pritzus and To’eva – the army has set up special units that are male only to prevent deliberate exposure to inappropriate materials and situations. Yes, there have been cases where people in general army units have been unwillingly exposed to offensive material/situations, but not in the units that are oriented toward Chareidim. While nobody can “guarantee” that one will not be exposed to something inappropriate, there’s no guarantee that one will not be exposed in a non-military workplace either. The best that can be asked is that the army give its best efforts to avoid such exposure – and in the units oriented towards Chareidim, they have.

3. Listening to foul language – same as above. The army can do its best, but there are no guarantees in any workplace.

4. Keep Shabbos as required – the army, by regulation, requires that people be allowed to keep Shabbos. That being said, there are, by the very nature of being an army, serious issues of Pikuach Nefesh that require actions that in other situations would be Assur on Shabbos. As I learned Halacha, though, carrying out these actions on Shabbos is what Halacha requires – so it can not be said that forcing a soldier to carry out these actions prevents one from keeping Shabbos. In a case of Pikuach Nefesh, not only is one allowed to commit melacha, one is required to commit the melacha, and it is considered a mitzvah. As such, one can not say that the army prevents one from keeping Shabbos as required.

5. Not hearing the words of heretics against HKB”H – not sure what he is referring to, as there is no requirement in the army for one to hear such things. There are some individuals, including commanders, who will spout off on such topics, but as above, you’ll have things like this in any workplace. Also as noted above, the army has units oriented towards Chareidim, the commanders of which are specifically selected for/instructed to show sensitivity to the religious sensibilities of those under their command.

6. Permitted to observe Mitzvos – the army gives times for Davening – by law. In the Chareidi units, there is also specific time given for Shiurim, etc. There is nothing preventing someone in such units from keeping mitzvos – and unlike those who do not serve, they get the Mitzva of saving the lives of their fellow Jews.

Notwithstanding the above, there is clearly room for improvement in the army – but standing there and shouting how bad the army is will change nothing. You can’t expect the army to change itself overnight when there is no guarantee – or even expectation – that those opposed to service will not come up with yet another red herring of a reason why Chareidim can’t serve. If there was a good-faith effort by Chareidim to work with the army, you’d be amazed by how far the army is willing to go to accommodate.

an Israeli Yid