Avi Gabbay
Avi GabbayAvi Dishi, Flash 90

Labor leader Avi Gabbay on Tuesday night spoke about the Supreme Court's decision to cancel the planned amendment to Israel's mandatory draft law.

The proposed amendment would have extended exemptions given to yeshiva students until 2023. This amendment was part of the haredi parties' coalition agreement.

During a Labor conference in Jerusalem, Gabbay said, "I did not get excited about the previous law. You know why? Because we saw that they drafted a few more haredim, but they drafted them at age 25 - when they already have three children and can receive 7,000 shekel each month."

Apparently, Gabbay is not aware of how much married IDF soldiers in mandatory service are paid.

Gabbay also said he had not heard of programs which integrate haredim into the Air Force or other divisions of the IDF.

"It's not like they started a new paratroopers brigade," he said. "They just drafted a lot of kashrut (kosher) supervisors."

In fact, there is a new haredi paratroopers unit, and the haredi Netzah Yehuda battalion fights terror in Judea and Samaria.

"I believe there should be people who learn Torah - but up to a certain point. Mostly, I am in favor of honoring and appreciating those who do serve, instead of simply fighting those who don't serve. Whoever serves in the army deserves to receive [at least] minimum wage. Others will need to do National Service or some other service, but at the end of the day, what's most important is that those who serve in the army receive what they deserve."

In January 2015, IDF soldiers' salaries increased by 25% so that combat, combat support and non-combat soldiers earn 1,077, 783 and 540 shekels respectively. Minimum wage in Israel is 5,000 shekels.

At some point, Gabbay said that "a child who grows up in [the haredi neighborhood of] Mea Shearim is not allowed to touch his mother. He's not allowed to shake her hand, even. So how can we expect that he will become an IDF soldier? Do you really think that's going to happen?"

"That's not about to happen. But let's honor everything a person can do, and everything he can't do. Mostly, let's take care of those who work for us and who protect our country."