Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot pushed back on Wednesday against criticism of his plan for ultra-Orthodox military conscription, denying that he intends to grant exemptions to 30 percent of eligible Haredi men each year.

Speaking with Channel 12 news, the former IDF chief of staff said “there is a draft law for all citizens of Israel for military, national and civil service” and that he only plans on exempting 3% of exceptional prodigies in Torah, science, music and sports out of every draft cohort.

“I meet with Haredi Knesset members and I tell them that there is one issue on which there will be no compromise… even at the cost of going to another election,” he said.

Eisenkot was required to defend his stance after a candidate for his Yashar party, former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen, sparked criticism from leaders of other opposition parties by telling the Kan public broadcaster that under an opposition-led government, potentially up to 30% of Haredim will be exempt from military conscription.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, another opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declared after Cohen’s comments that military conscription for all was a “nonnegotiable condition for the next government.”

“There will be no compromises on recruitment,” Bennett wrote on X. “Everyone must enlist, and whoever doesn’t serve the state won’t get a single shekel from the state their whole life.”

Eisenkot also took a thinly veiled shot at Bennett, telling Channel 12 that he met with the former premier last week, and took the opportunity to reiterate his stance that “the next prime minister must be the head of the largest party in the bloc.”

His remarks appeared to hint at Bennett’s brief stint as prime minister from 2021-2022, which was controversial because Bennett’s party had only seven seats in the Knesset at the time.

Eisenkot is currently leading in the polls, with surveys suggesting his party will win around 23........

© The Times of Israel