Israel Proposes National Service To Stem Tide of Draft Dodgers

[Purveyor]

Jerusalem - In a dramatic reconsideration of a pillar of Israeli society, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced plans to offer Israeli youth a nonmilitary option for serving the country. According to the prime minister’s office, a new Civilian Service Administration will offer draft-age Israelis who are exempt from military service the opportunity to contribute a year or two of their lives “to strengthen society as a whole and the weak sectors especially, enforcing the connection and identification of the young citizens with the community, society and state.”

The announcement comes amid growing public concern about the number of Israelis avoiding military service, which the army puts at a quarter of young men and as many as two-fifths of young women. In a country where donning the uniform has been among the most sacred of obligations to society, Olmert’s plans for a civilian alternative to military service has sent a message to young Israelis that while serving the country is a serious obligation, such “service” can take many forms.

David Baker, a spokesman for the prime minister, stressed that the program is not a replacement for mandatory military service, which the prime minister views as incumbent upon those able to enlist. At the same time, Baker said, many young people who are exempt from military service for a variety of legitimate reasons, including health issues, religious conviction and family circumstances, would welcome the opportunity to serve the country out of uniform.

“We are losing good people because they think that if they don’t serve in the IDF, then they have nothing to offer the country,” Baker told the Forward. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

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http://www.forward.com/articles/11609/