The Ministerial Legislative Committee on Sunday approved a bill pushed by the Defense Ministry, intended to facilitate monitoring females who receive draft deferments from IDF service after declaring they are frum, exempted from service on military grounds.

If passed into law, the process by which women may be monitored and subsequently inducted into the military if found to be maintaining a non-frum lifestyle will be facilitated and expedited. The army will possess increased authority to compel girls to enter the military if determined that their declaration of being shomer shabbos was not authentic.

The passing of the bill resulted in an angry response from Shas party officials, accusing proponents of sliding it under the door without informing Shas and others of the planned vote, stating when it is brought before the Knesset plenum, they will oppose it.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)