In Vadoo: Eyal Noveh, one of the founders of the Arms Brothers, in an interview with Tal Shalu 3/28/24/Still photo: Reuven Castro
"If the ultra-Orthodox do not join the army and the economy, in 20 years the Israeli society will fall apart" - this is the bleak forecast that
Eyal Neve
, one of the founders of the Arms Movement, sees against the background of the conscription law crisis. In his weekend interview at Olfan Walla, he explains why the ultra-Orthodox must integrate into society, and says: "We built a concept that they cannot be recruited, but the time for equality has come."
You are leading the fight for equality in recruitment.
"The army needs 10,000 soldiers now. And it can only come from the ultra-orthodox, not from those who bear the burden. Which CEO will take me to work if I leave for 3 months? Which partner? It's no longer a finger in the eye. We need the ultra-Orthodox to lend a hand."
But they don't want to give a hand.
The ultra-orthodox majority want to join the war effort, rabbis and politicians forbid them. We haven't seen anyone with courage yet. Everything should be through communication and agreement, they didn't do it. We have already heard MKs and ministers in Shas who say that it is necessary. It takes real courage to start integrating them into society. If you look at the long term - they will be the majority here in another 20 years. If they do not join the economy and the army, there is no country. There are economic sanctions, there is criminal enforcement, there are many ways to get them to join. The country is stronger than all of us, and we really need them."
"There is an entire public that must join." An ultra-Orthodox protester against conscription into the IDF/photo manipulation, photo: Yonatan Zindel/Flash 90, IDF spokesman
And if they deprive the ultra-Orthodox of their allowances and a million ultra-Orthodox go out to demonstrate in the streets, because for them it is an injury to the bird of the soul?
"First of all, we respect religion and love religion and Judaism. But there is an entire public that must join. You said a million - it's really no longer a minority. Until now, they didn't try to recruit them, they only engaged in intimidation. They built a concept that they can't be recruited. But the time has come Equality. The problem is in the ultra-Orthodox frameworks: whoever says something that the ultra-Orthodox leadership does not like - he is ostracized, his marriage is damaged, his children are shouted at in schools. But the ultra-Orthodox must mobilize, otherwise our Israeli society will fall apart in 20 years from now. The army is ready to open units for the ultra-Orthodox theirs, it should be done and not hurt their feelings. We want a world of animals and let them live, a world where everyone carries the burden and takes part in the rehabilitation and healing of Israeli society for many years to come."
Weren't your calls to stop service around the legal revolution a red line? Didn't you have a part in what was happening?
"On the morning of the vote on the reason for reasonableness, the generals came to the Knesset, tried to explain the meanings, and no one was there. The Chief of Staff spoke about the damages of the legal revolution, the Minister of Defense also spoke - and was fired for it. We stood up, a huge patriotic group of country lovers, took a flag and went out waving it. We wanted to preserve democracy. We were run over by a group of members of the Knesset and ministers who went in the direction of a dictatorship. 80 percent of the public said to stop the coup d'état. When we went to the president, we stopped all the demonstrations. But it was a joke. The other side had no intention of reaching a compromise. There was a coordinated attack on government institutions and democracy."
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"I'm sorry I didn't meet with other layers of the people." Demonstration against the legal revolution in Nativite Ayalon, last year/official website, Gilad Furst
So were you also wrong? And in what field?
"I regret that I didn't meet with other layers of the people. We were wrong, because they put a dividing line between us in the middle, with the right on one side and the left on the other. When you talk to people below, in the field, everyone agrees with us. If we were in a dictatorship today, the US would not be in our favor, And one can only imagine what would have happened to us in The Hague, the whole world was against us. We saved the country, nothing will help. We showed in our civilian HML how to build a leadership avenue within two weeks, while the government was in the market."
To what extent do Gantz and Eisenkot influence the demonstrations in the streets through the war cabinet?
"For sure they have an influence. I'm glad they are there right now, that there is a mature and balanced voice. On the other hand, it's time to knock on the table and get more answers. From the most valuable and most important war, in which President Biden supported us so much and gave a speech that brought people to tears, the situation turned upside down. We turned from consensus to nothing. It's because of bad management."
"If the ultra-Orthodox do not join the army and the economy, Israel will fall apart." Eyal Noh/Reuven Castro
Is there anyone who thinks you are on your way to becoming a political party?
"We have sympathy in the public, tremendous sympathy. We are seen as the next body that can take the reins and lead. If I start to tell what we did from the beginning of the war, it will not end. It is simply a huge heart of people who left everything and gave for the country. We want elections this year, this Of course. Even in the Likud, it is clear to the people that it is time for renewal and the next step. We hear it in private rooms, Haredim and religious Zionists and the Likud. Those who are corrupt cannot fix it, should clear the stage. The people are smart, and the people will choose. The politicians work for their private sector and not for the benefit of the state . It's time for them to put the country forward and go backwards. Lots of people from brothers in arms will go to the points of influence. Obviously we have woken up."
As a separate party?
"Right now we don't know. When elections come we will reassess."
And where are you personally aiming?
"I'm sure I'll be in places of influence. I don't know if it fueled politics or through other things, but we woke up. We won't give up anymore - not on the class committee, not on the Histadrut, not on politics."
More on the same topic:
The conscription law
religious
The legal revolution