The Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth (Likud), held today (Sunday) another discussion on the haredi draft law addressing the exemption age for the haredi community.
During the hearing, reservist Yitzhaki Glick spoke, saying he himself serves beyond what is defined by law.
"I've done 550 days of reserve duty," Glick said, "I was called to reserve duty about a week ago, and we are preparing for combat. This is the last committee I can speak at before another tour in Gaza, and I don't know if I'll be able to go on leave to appear before you again. No one asked my exemption age, and I don't want them to. I am 40 today, father of five children."
Glick sharply criticized the draft law, "I just want to clarify how detached this law is. The draft that is on the table, and the clauses you are discussing today, is a draft that took shape when they could call me for 30 days over three years. I will cross, in the upcoming tour of duty, with the 86 days I was called to, the 600-day mark. What relevance is there to talk about this exemption? How is this draft the basis for any discussion? If the target in the original law was 3,000 haredim to be recruited, when I was called for 30 days a year, then if they call me for 600 days in two years, you should imagine here a target of 90,000."
He then questioned the list of yeshivas included in the draft, "What are the yeshivas that will be entered on the list? Why is the yeshiva I studied at not on the list? Why is the yeshiva my son studies at, which will soon face conscription, not on the list?"
Glick concluded his remarks with an emotional appeal to the committee members, "I have one request. I am going into Gaza. Can you commit before me that there will be no rushing this law before I return from Gaza? That there won't be a draft law that we suddenly unveil for second and third readings while we cannot comment on it because we are in Gaza? Can you promis me that?"