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Israel’s Science and Technology Minister, Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri, invited the heads of ultra-Orthodox religious seminaries to speak to the Knesset committee which he heads, tasked with formulating a more equitable military draft system. However, they are reported to have rejected Peri’s overtures.

The reform of military enlistment was a major issue in the election campaign, particularly for Yesh Atid and a commitment to change the status quo formed part of the coalition agreement which saw Yesh Atid join the government. As a result, Peri is heading a committee which this week began discussing the issue, with a view to submitting a draft proposal in a matter of weeks. The current plan under discussion would see just 1,800 ultra-Orthodox religious seminary students exempt from service with an estimated 6,200 required to enlist.

According to Maariv, Peri this week invited heads of the religious seminaries to speak to the committee. However, the seminary leaders turned down the opportunity on the basis that they will not cooperate with any initiative designed to change the status quo on enlistment.  The ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hapeles reported the rejection, saying that the seminary heads regard the committee as part of “a declaration of war by the new government” on the “God fearing public.”

In the committee itself, there was discussion over how exactly the 1,800 exempted ultra-Orthodox students would be selected. Environmental Protection Minister and Hatnuah MK Amir Peretz proposed a rabbinical committee, while Likud’s Limor Livnat suggested a lottery. More fundamentally though, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon expressed his opposition to the very idea of a quota. He told the committee “We are already seeing more ultra-Orthodox soldiers,” adding “We should allow the natural process of enlistment to take its course. Setting quotas will only push the ultra-Orthodox sector against the wall.”