In Israel, Ofer Winter opposes exempting yeshiva students from conscription
In Israel, the head of the People of Israel party, Ofer Winter, spoke out against the demand for a full exemption from military conscription for all yeshiva students. As The Jerusalem Post reports, he responded to a statement by Yitzhak Goldknopf, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Agudat Yisrael faction within the United Torah Judaism party.
Criticism of the exemption demand
Reserve Brigadier General Winter, who comes from a national-religious background, said that not all people who wear traditional black-and-white clothing study the Torah. According to him, no government will be formed without regulating the status of those who serve, and obligations toward them are the top priority.
The politician also called on Goldknopf to stop, in his words, deceiving the public. He claims that the current system primarily harms those who genuinely study the Torah.
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The party’s electoral list
Winter stated that in the future, ultra-Orthodox Jews will integrate into the Israel Defense Forces and national service. In his view, those who contribute to the state will receive support, while those who serve more will receive significantly more. People who do not serve, study, or contribute will not receive benefits.
On the same day, Winter submitted his party’s list of candidates to the Knesset ahead of the October elections. This closed off the possibility of a merger with the Religious Zionism Party of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich had previously called on Winter to join his alliance with Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin.
