Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer sharply criticized the haredi leadership’s conduct regarding enlistment in the IDF, saying he will not support a law that does not lead to the genuine enlistment of haredim into the IDF.
In an interview with Ynet and Yediot Aharonot, Sofer said that since the start of the war, he has felt even more strongly that a deep change is needed on the issue.
"The security challenges are growing and growing. We cannot grind the reservists down to nothing," he said.
Sofer also said that he expected the war to lead to a shake-up in haredi society, but "the haredi leadership put up a serious shock absorber, both through its harsh statements and through its poor, sad, and disconnected agenda."
"I am not prepared to have a fake law. I am not prepared for hot air," he said, expressing disappointment that there is no broad agreement on the subject. According to him, there are haredim who are not studying Torah and nevertheless do not enlist, a phenomenon he said harms the principle of sharing the burden.
Later in the interview, he also addressed the possibility of future political cooperation with Naftali Bennett. Asked whether he would like to see Bennett in a future right-wing government, he replied: "A broad right-wing government. That means additional right-wing parties. I am not going into names." According to him, "ultimately, there need to be Zionist basic guidelines there."