Chairman Avigdor Liberman of the Yisrael Beytenu Party expressed opposition on Sunday to growing calls for a professional army.
Writing on Facebook, Liberman said, "Recently, we have heard, especially from the left side of the political map, subversion of the same basic principles that have accompanied us for over 70 years, calls for a model of a professional army and to give up on inducting the haredim. I believe that this is a fatal mistake, both from the military perspective and the moral perspective. Without skilled reserve forces, it is impossible to deal with a comprehensive war like the Six Day War. Recruiting haredim is also morally obligated, to the society in which one lives, and the principle of equality of burden is one of the most important."