Never a dull moment.

There’s no escaping the fact that almost everything in this hyperactive country involves our prime minister.

A Likud party spokesman has denied reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties to consider a new IDF conscription model already tabled for discussion.

The reports in a number of Hebrew language news outlets claim that the prime minister approached the Haredi parties, United Torah Judaism and Shas, requesting that they drop - or severely soften - their demands for the new Conscription Law. The reports said Netanyahu warned them of the negative impact it could have on the army.

The same sources said the Haredi parties flatly refused this request, reiterating their insistence that the law be passed with a clause that could prevent it from being annulled by any form of judicial review.

Earlier this week, both foreign and local news outlets alleged that the Haredi parties are threatening to bring down the government if the new draft bill is not passed immediately following the summer Knesset recess, scheduled to end on the 15^th of October. They have insisted that this requirement takes precedence over all other matters and that the judicial reform will not move forward if their demands are not met.

The new proposed bill would further IDF exemptions for Haredi youth studying full-time in yeshivot. This follows a six-year delay after which the High Court of Justice struck down the original draft bill, saying the exemptions were too discriminatory favouring Haredi youth to the detriment of others,

The main impact of the proposed new bill is to lower the age of permanent exemption from 26 to 22, with a focus on promoting national service participation and employment within the ultra-Orthodox sector. It will also include an increase in benefits for those who are drafted or are in the reserves.

The reports last week indicated that the government anticipates a severe backlash to the bill - from civilians, reservists, and even active-duty soldiers. Noting that even people who support the coalition would be reluctant to support the bill.

During the negotiations held prior to the formation of the coalition government, the Likud signed an agreement with the Haredi parties that called for a new draft bill.

The need to conclude the matter without further delay is due to the fact that technically the original draft bill expired on the 30^th of June, but a temporary extension was granted until the 31^st of March, 2024. As such, yeshiva students do not currently have their special status, and if no bill is passed by March, they could find themselves drafted en masse.

Haredi parties have pointed to Torah study as an essential national service to the country, and therefore do not believe they need to serve in the IDF.

The current National Service Law, which passed in 2014 and in 2015, sets the number of Haredi draftees to the IDF per year and sanctions yeshivot that do not meet these numbers. However, as mentioned, the High Court invalidated the bill, saying it was discriminatory.

In general, the idea of the proposed legislation is to enact a new policy of choosing equality of the “economic burden” over the “military burden” by lowering the exemption age for Haredi men from 26 to between 21-23, thus allowing them to enter the workforce earlier, while minimizing the inequality to soldiers by shortening the length of service and providing benefits for those who do serve.

According to the Israel Democratic Institute (IDI), the new legislation should also aspire to equality and a gradual increase, to the extent possible, in the number of ultra-Orthodox conscripts, setting defined incremental target numbers and with clear economic sanctions with regard to budget allocations to yeshivas and a focus on students of conscription age. All this needs to be accomplished with maximum coordination and cooperation with those among the Haredi leadership who are more pragmatic, some of whom understand that many of those registered as fulltime Torah students are not in fact frequenting the study halls (with the latent dropout rate estimated at 15%–25%) and would actually like to serve in the military, to contribute to society, and take steps towards their own personal development. These young men and others who might prefer to enlist in the military, would provide the IDF with additional quality recruits and alleviate some of the current inequality.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox population is expected to account for 16% of the country's total population by 2030, according to a new report published by the Israel Democracy Institute.

According to the report, the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel currently stands at around 1,280,000 people and is the fastest-growing population group in Israel with a growth rate of 4%.

Senior members of the IDF, including Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have been involved in the bill’s formulations.

 You would think that this convoluted topic would claim our complete attention without additional distractions. Well, think again.

Another religious topic has been referenced by both local and foreign news outlets recently.

A rare mosaic that was unearthed in Israel back in 2005 has found itself at the heart of a current scientific and political storm. Various sides in the argument are clashing over whether it's right to move it from its original site and showcase it in exhibitions worldwide, or if it should remain in place where it was discovered and, if so, how to protect it best. This mosaic was discovered during rescue excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) within the Megiddo Prison. Prison authorities were planning to establish a new wing and were anxious to ensure that the construction wouldn't harm significant historical artifacts in the vicinity. As the excavations progressed, involving the voluntary participation of several inmates, a dazzling mosaic from the third century was revealed. It had once been part of an ancient church, and foundational elements of the structure were also uncovered.

However, on Tuesday, the Associated Press news agency reported that the Israel Antiquities Authority is considering uprooting the mosaic from its current location and lending it to the Museum of the Bible in Washington. This institution, established in 2017, has faced criticism for allegedly promoting a political or evangelical agenda. The news agency quoted several archaeology experts who expressed unease with the idea.

Rafi Greenberg, a professor of archaeology at Tel Aviv University, said that archaeological finds “should stay where they are and not be uprooted and taken abroad to a different country and basically appropriated by a foreign power.”

Even the Vatican Museum is expressing interest in acquiring it for display to visitors. It's quite evident that any decision made will inevitably disappoint those who do not get to see the mosaic.

The Israel Antiquities Authority said that it will decide about the move in the coming weeks, following consultations with an advisory body.

“There’s an entire process that academics and archaeologists are involved in,” said IAA director Eli Eskozido. The organisation said that moving the mosaic from its original location was the best way to protect it from upcoming construction at the prison.

My gut reaction is - move the prison, leave the mosaic where it is.

 

 

On Friday afternoon we gathered, not all of us, just members of our nuclear family by Roni’s grave to mark the traditional ceremony thirty days after her death.

We all miss her terribly.

 

 

Beni, 17^th of August, 2023.