I happen to agree with him that Arab citizens of Israel should either serve in the IDF or perform National Service (one or the other, as the compulsory service law requires).
But what does that have to do with the Supreme Court? It isnt the Supreme Court that says Arabs dont have to serve. It is the government (historically, all of them, not just this one) and the IDF that has chosen to not send draft notices to the Arab community, for whatever reason (the reason is not important for this discussion- they dont send draft notices is all that is important at the moment). Amsalem is trying to point to some sort of hypocrisy in how it is treating Haredim while it is not doing the same for the Arabs. He might be right but that hypocrisy is the fault of the government, not the Supreme Court.
What does that have to do with the Supreme Court? Dudi Amsalem is part of the current government. What he needs to do is raise the issue in the next government meeting and start a discussion. Persuade the rest of the government that we should draft the Arab citizens (and they can do either IDF service or National Service), order the IDF to send draft notices. Once that happens, the Arab citizens can either fight it and be subject to losing budgets and subsidies, or their people can start serving. This has nothing to do with the Supreme Court. The government just needs to decide to start sending draft notices.
------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------
Can Israel trust the indigenous local Arab population to fight their fellow Arabs? Would intelligence be compromised? I think this is a crazy idea. The army did not draft Ben Gvir should it draft Arabs?
ReplyDeleteNo, this has everything to do with the Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteThe current government (and pervious government) has not expressed an interest in drafting Haredim or Arabs. The Supreme Court ruled that exempting Haredim is unconstitutional, and has forced the army to send draft notices to the Haredim. But the Supreme Court has not made a similar ruling regarding the Arabs.
The reason that the army is sending draft notices now to the Haredi community and not the Arab community is because of the Supreme Court, not the government.
Personally I think that all citizens should be required to serve in the Army or National Service, including Haredim and Arabs, but fortunately I am not in the government or the supreme court.
This is just a stunt to keep charedim from being drafted. You know this.
ReplyDeleteAn Arab draft is a tremendous opportunity. Instead of army first, then sheirut if not, it should be the opposite. Mobilize Arab youth to help out in their schools, hospitals and communities, build them up to become future leaders.
ReplyDeleteI too think everyone, including Arabs, should do either army service or national service. those who cant do army service for nationalistic or idealistic reasons, should still do national service, even in their own communities
ReplyDelete