Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a closed discussion that the law freezing arrests of IDF deserters was a 'bad law,' and pledged to form a broad national unity government after the elections that will pass a full conscription law meeting the IDF's needs, according to a report on Channel 14's 'The Central Arena' program.
Prime Minister Netanyahu escalated his criticism of the coalition's handling of the conscription crisis on Sunday evening, calling the law that freezes arrests of IDF deserters a 'bad law' and vowing to replace it after the next elections.
According to a report on Channel 14's 'The Central Arena' program, Netanyahu said in a closed discussion: 'The law to prevent the arrest of deserters was a bad law. After the elections we will establish a broad national government that will pass a full conscription law that meets the IDF's needs.'
The remarks come hours after Netanyahu's earlier statement on Sunday, in which he admitted that the temporary legislative framework for Haredi conscription had failed and warned that draft dodgers who are not engaged in full-time Torah study would 'enlist or go to prison' — as The Zioneer reported at 14:51 Jerusalem.
The conscription crisis has been a central fault line in the coalition, with Haredi parties pushing for immunity from arrest for yeshiva students while coalition partners and the opposition demand equal service. The prime minister's shift toward a more enforcement-oriented rhetoric, combined with his promise of a post-election unity government, signals a calculation that the current coalition framework cannot resolve the issue.
It remains unclear whether the pledge of a 'broad national government' — which would require bringing in centrist or center-left parties — is a feasible political path, or whether it is intended to pressure current coalition partners into accepting a compromise on the conscription law.
2 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu furious in calls with ministers over bill freezing arrest of deserters
- StrongNetanyahu convenes coalition heads Tuesday to secure majority for draft-evader arrest freeze
- DevelopingBennett slams Haredi draft-freeze law as 'despicable' after High Court interim order
- StrongGoldknopf: Leaked Netanyahu recordings show no real intent for draft law
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