Compromise Proposal for Draft of Haredim

A compromise usually involves sacrificing part of a wish list in order to achieve acceptance of another part.  Both sides of the compromise must feel they are winning something important while forfeiting something that might also be seemingly essential.  The willingness to compromise might also come from fear of an even worse alternative if their opponents impose their absolute wish list..

Today the ultra-Orthodox parties in the current Israeli coalition are interested in protecting their draft-age yeshiva students while opposition parties urgently demand to draft such students in order to reinforce the IDF. Neither side is willing to accept the absolute demands of their opponents.

I propose the following compromise that will partially meet each side’s needs while preventing either side from continuing to promote its absolute wish lists with regard to drafting yeshiva students:

For every 10,000 draft-age Haredim drafted annually into the IDF plus an additional 5000 signing up for an accepted alternate service, the government will guarantee 10,000 exemptions from the draft (5000 determined by each chief Rabbi), including support for their continued studies.  In effect, this proposal will update the first Israeli government’s policy for what was a very limited exemption and should appeal to majorities in the Haredi parties while answering much of the needs of expanding the number of soldiers drafted each year.

As in all compromises, neither side will be absolutely happy with the result but both sides can claim an important success for their supporters. By accepting this proposal, the government recognizes the importance of yeshiva study for the Haredi community and grants Rabbinical authority for determining exemptions while providing additional strength to Israel’s armed forces.

Yoel Magid