Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced opposition to the arrests of yeshiva students who evade conscription into the military in a Kol Barama interview on Tuesday morning, expressing further uncertainty over whether legislation regulating haredi (ultra-Orthodox) conscription could be passed before the swearing-in of a new government.
Netanyahu argued that the arrests of yeshiva students undermine efforts to encourage haredi enlistment without coercion.
"This is unacceptable. We need to preserve the world of Torah study because it has preserved us," Netanyahu said.
"These arrests are a deliberate attempt to undermine the process of recruiting haredim without coercion. I greatly respect the world of Torah study, but anyone who is not studying should enlist."
Netanyahu casts doubt on enacting conscription law before new gov't sworn in
Netanyahu was also asked about the haredi parties' demand that a conscription law be enacted before the government is sworn in.
"I wish we could do that. Will we be able to do it before the government is formed? Who knows? It depends on goodwill, it depends on understanding and cooperation," Netanyahu said.
"I know that many in the haredi community understand that there needs to be a new sharing of the burden," he added.
The haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, encouraged Netanyahu's coalition to advance legislation that critics argue would not increase haredi enlistment during the government's term.
The haredi parties also boycotted coalition voting during the government’s term, stating that they would not cooperate with Netanyahu’s coalition until there was advancement with the contentious legislation they had been pushing for.
Opponents argued that the haredi draft bill advanced by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee would not lead to haredi enlistment and was instead an attempt to appease the haredi parties.
The bill was ultimately shelved, although other controversial measures were passed, including a temporary freeze on the arrests of haredi draft evaders and legislation enshrining Torah study as a fundamental value in the country's Basic Law.
The IDF has repeatedly warned of an urgent manpower shortage after three years of war.
Zamir warned of IDF collapse amid gap in manpower
In March, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF could soon collapse if no solution was found for the manpower shortage.
Opposition politicians in the bloc seeking to replace Netanyahu in the October 27 election sharply criticized his remarks on Tuesday, accusing him of striking a political deal with the haredi parties. They pledged to ensure haredi conscription into the IDF under the next government.
Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who has been polling as the largest party in the opposition bloc, stated that "one week before the election, Netanyahu promised the haredim a draft evasion law as a condition for forming the government."
“The upcoming election is a choice between a Netanyahu government of draft evasion and a Zionist conscription government under my leadership," he added.
B'Yachad party leader Naftali Bennett stated that “Netanyahu promised this morning, in his own words, to pass the draft exemption law – the draft evasion law – before the next government is even formed."
"Netanyahu is dismantling the IDF and jeopardizing the future of those who serve and the reservists," he added.
Bennett vowed that the next government would cut state funding to haredim, adding that it would take NIS 30 billion from draft evaders and "transfer it to soldiers and those who serve, thereby saving the State of Israel.”
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman stated that Netanyahu was "issuing an impassioned call against the arrest of draft evaders, once again proving that he is a hostage to the draft evaders – without them, he has no government."
"In the next government, we will enlist everyone, with no exemptions and no backroom deals," he added.
Netanyahu decries reports as 'fake news'
Following his interview with Kol Barama, the Likud party affirmed Netanyahu's stance that "Anyone who says, 'We will die rather than enlist,' will go to prison."
"While we will enlist 23,000 Haredim over three years, the left-wing bloc introduced a law that would enlist only 5,000. Behind closed doors, they are offering the haredim a full exemption from military service on the condition that they bring down Netanyahu," the party claimed.
"We have not heard a single word about any of this from television studios or left-wing spokespeople. Don't fall for the left's fake news. Get out and vote Likud."