Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel from the Shas party emphasized the need for equal conscription into the IDF, asserting that “wearing a black kippah should not be a reason for exemption from military service.”
Speaking at the annual conference of the Aaron Institute for Economic Policy at Reichman University on Wednesday, Arbel stressed the importance of drafting every eligible individual, emphasizing the need to follow state laws.
This position is particularly significant given that the Shas Party has traditionally opposed mandatory IDF service for chareidi Torah students.
Arbel’s remarks, which boldly oppose the views of Shas chairman Arye Deri, who has firmly stated that “no one will be drafted into the army, not even one Torah student,” and that the party will resist such measures vigorously, are inspiring.
Arbel addressed the wider societal context, saying, “The citizens of Israel are not merely tools for creating GDP (gross domestic product) and GNP (gross national product) – beyond economic importance, Israeli society also holds significant spiritual value, and we must not ignore this aspect when discussing Torah scholars.”
He emphasized the critical importance of understanding and respecting the chareidi community’s viewpoint, especially regarding segregated academic studies, and the need to allow chareidim to pursue bachelor’s degrees in separate environments to prevent their disconnection from Israeli society.
Born in 1983, Arbel is a lawyer and has served as the legal adviser for the Shas Party and the Interior Ministry. He entered the Knesset in 2019.
{Matzav.com Israel}