Israeli teens speak out against draft evasion

In a recent Facebook group, over 2000 high school seniors have signed a letter condemning governmental policy that exempts ultra-Orthodox from the draft, and demand change

11/01/2012 13:57

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A soldier at prayer Flash 90

Members of Knesset, Ministers, Military Chief of Staff and Prime Minister, We are seniors in high school. In the coming months, we will join the army with pride and belief in State of Israel, and with genuine concern for her. Because of our love for this country, we are broken.

We are broken because we fight this battle alone. We are broken because no one thinks it’s a problem that only half the population serves in the army. We are broken because you do not care what will happen 12 years from now when more than 50% of Israel’s population will be either Arab or ultra-Orthodox with exemption from the draft. We are broken becuase despite the warnings, you prefer to busy yourselves with politics and money. We are broken because we don’t know what will happen to this country between now and when we are released from the army.

We mostly we are broken, we are most frustrated, because no one seems to care.

We are broken because we fight this battle alone. We are broken because no one thinks it’s a problem that only half the population serves in the army. We are broken because you do not care what will happen 12 years from now when more than 50% of Israel’s population will be either Arab or ultra-Orthodox with exemption from the draft. We are broken becuase despite the warnings, you prefer to busy yourselves with politics and money.

You must begin to do your job and heed to the warnings. You must hear us. You must make sure there is an army here, even after no one will remember what you did or who you were.

It’s important to understand - we are not “anti-ultra-Orthodox”. We are young people who care deeply about what happens here. We do not think it’s wrong to learn Torah. We are simply saying that it’s out of control, that we have sacrificed equality for Torah, that in the name of Torah learning we have lost our Zionism.

Therefore, we demand that you oppose the Tal Law, that will come to the Knesset in the next year, and to legally require military or national service to all citizens of Israel. Until you draft all 18-year-old citizens, true Zionism cannot exist here.

This is a simple and zionist promise: If you won’t do it, we will bring change.

(As of January 11, 2011 at 2 pm, the letter had over 2000 signitures.)

To see the Facebook page in Hebrew, click here www.facebook.com/profile.php