Reducing recruitment targets: "IDF got cold feet"

Shortly before the conclusion of the Peri Committee and filing the Burden of Equality bill - more data on emerging conclusions are released. Maariv newspaper published today (Wednesday) details from the conference room.

According to the report, Haredi army recruitment goals during the transition period (from now until 2017) were reduced compared to what was agreed in the coalition agreement. From 2500 to 2,300 in 2014, from 3,000 to 2,700 in 2015, and in 2016 from 3600 to 3200. All these are targets only for the transition period, but thereafter all 18 year olds, including yeshiva students, will be obliged to join the military or civilian service.

Committee officials accused the IDF that "they got cold feet and decided to lower the military's recruitment goals and increase the goals of joining the civil service instead. There is no incentive for Haredim to make them enlist. This is total nonsense. The army is afraid it will not meet the recruitment targets set for it and therefore decided to reduce its own responsibility."

But, apparently, the civil service is not happy about it being the objective instead of directing targets to the military. Chairman of the Civil National Service Institute, Sar Shalom Jerbi, said: "They have added goals without me being able to meet the present goals. There is no way I can meet the objectives without real incentives. It's impossible they have set things without consulting us."

In addition, the Committee discussed the negative incentives to encourage haredim to enlist, with emphasis on recruiting before the wedding. After the wedding, recruit wages are high and form a considerable expenditure for the army. One of the proposals is to amend the Absorption of Discharged Soldiers Law and determine that those who enlist after the age of 21 will receive a smaller amount of deposit.

Another suggestion is to reduce the payment to married soldiers and equate their salary to the salary of soldiers who are not married. This proposal, if enacted, gives a severe blow to all the IDF's projects for recruiting haredim such as Shachar. The Haredi recruit trend is on the increase, however, it is found mainly among married, who without a salary sufficient to maintain the family will not be able to provide for themselves. Accepting the proposal will interrupt this trend while budding.

The committee also discussed the status of Hesder yeshiva students and currently it has not been decided yet whether to extend their service or for the time being to keep the status quo.

Meanwhile, the committee protested against the incidents of violence against haredi soldiers. Minister Limor Livnat proposed to establish a place where haredi soldiers could arrive in case they can not return home for fear of harassment.

Representative of the army, Brigadier General Gadi Amnon, said: "This is a step upward in incitement against the haredi soldiers," Amnon stressed. "They ban them from a minyan, they make a "Cherem dibur" on them, a ban on their children. I'm worried and afraid of another such step. We need to consider how to guarantee the safety of those soldiers, security wise and legally."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!