Attorney Ori Kedar, who represented the left-wing Meretz Party in its first petition against the Tal Law, told Kikar Shabbat that today, “I am vehemently opposed to the forced induction of bnei yeshiva into the IDF”.

Kedar feels that the Tal Law resulted in significant damage to the chareidi tzibur, perpetuating the absurd, in which a chiloni youth must serve in the IDF while a chareidi youth is exempt. As a believer in civil rights, he feels the entire system is unacceptable. Nevertheless, Kedar feels if the chareidim truly understand the damage caused by Tal to its image as a community, they themselves would have shouted to eliminate the law.

He explains that for a non religious citizen, the fact that chareidim don’t serve in the IDF is a major bone of contention, the source of much pain and conflict and this many do not realize but this is why there was so much emotion among opponents of the Tal Law.

He feels that his representing Meretz against the law as well as pacifists against serving in the IDF is the same as siding with chareidim in this case for it all boils down to one’s right to say “no” to military service. He also opposes efforts to force chareidi mosdos to include ‘core subjects’ in their curriculum, since this too is the right of a community to decide and not have it forced upon it be government.

Kedar is certain that “nothing will result in trying to force anyone”, referring to politicians who call for the forced draft of chareidim. He believes the chareidi community must take a step towards reaching an agreement that is acceptable to all the parties, for he has been an advocate of turning the IDF into a professional army, eliminating the draft and paying for those wishing to enlist, as is the case in the United States.

“One who wishes to enlist will receive a fair monthly salary from the defense establishment. There will not be a draft. One way or the other we know the army is inflated and there simply isn’t a need for all the manpower. This pertains to chareidim and chilonim alike. In addition, the damage to the economy by maintaining a military draft is tremendous since the military doesn’t need all the youth, who could otherwise be studying and entering the workforce”.

Kedar concludes his interview by calling on rabbonim and askanim to lead the way to ending the draft for everyone, to turn the army into a paid army, a professional entity, and this will bring an end to the discrimination and the hate of chareidim in Israel will dissipate and vanish”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)