Eisenkot Puts Mandatory Service For All At The Heart Of His Planned Coalition
Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot laid out on Tuesday the basic principles of the government he hopes to form, with a demand for mandatory military, national or civil service for every Israeli as one of its central pillars.
In a statement issued after the heads of the change bloc met, Eisenkot said the parties are coordinated and ready for the coming days, and that they plan to move quickly. “We will act fast. We have two goals before us: forming a national emergency government and carrying out moves in the Knesset,” he said.
According to Eisenkot, the government would rest on four principles agreed on by the parties: a Jewish, democratic and liberal state; the values of the Declaration of Independence; mandatory military, national or civil service; and recognizing Hamas as a terror group whose military and governing power must be destroyed.
On the Knesset front, Eisenkot said the parties’ negotiating teams will soon start drafting joint coalition guidelines and work on electing a new Knesset speaker, advancing legislation and canceling laws that he claims endanger democracy. He said the goal is to prevent Israel from being dragged into another election and to stop what he called Prime Minister Netanyahu’s continued entrenchment in power.
Eisenkot also took direct aim at Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud. “Remember: as of Tuesday, Binyamin Netanyahu is a caretaker prime minister supported by only 46 Knesset members,” he said, accusing the Likud of trying to undermine the true results of the election and warning of a wave of false and ugly spin and briefings in the days ahead. The 46 figure does not include the MKs of United Torah Judaism, though Eisenkot did not mention the Chareidi party by name or announce any understandings with it.
Referring to the anniversary of the Rabin assassination, Eisenkot said that in the face of violence, incitement and the erosion of democracy’s foundations, his camp will stand firm without fear. “Whoever thinks he can intimidate the change bloc does not correctly judge our determination and our commitment to the citizens of Israel,” he said.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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