Former IDF chief Halutz: I'm quitting Kadima

Halutz tells Ch. 2 he is leaving party over decision to stay in coalition despite failure to implement service for all.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Halutz not in uniform 311 (photo credit: Globes)
Halutz not in uniform 311
(photo credit: Globes)
Former IDF chief of staff Lt.- Gen. (res.) Dan Halutz said Saturday he is leaving Kadima because the party is staying in the government coalition despite Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s refusal to pass a law equalizing the national burden.
Halutz made the comments in an interview with Channel 2 he conducted from “Camp Sucker” at Tel Aviv’s Arlozorov train station. Camp Sucker, the protest movement calling for greater haredi and Arab participation in military service, held a mass protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday night.
The former IDF chief said that he was “leaving Kadima” and called on everyone that joined the party in his footsteps to reconsider their path as well.
Halutz called the government’s attempts to find an alternative to the Tal Law, “games,” and accused the coalition of “cynicism.”
When asked about the fact that Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz also planned to take part in Saturday’s protest march, Halutz said that it was “strange” that people in the coalition were coming to demonstrate against the coalition.
Speaking to Army Radio last week, Halutz said “whoever is worried about the country’s future must understand that if we don’t take the opportunity to create one law for all the citizens, we won’t have the opportunity again,” adding that the process “won’t get easier as the years pass.” Whoever receives benefits from the state, he added, must also contribute to the state.
Calling proposals by haredi parties aiming to craft exemptions for the majority of their constituents “insulting to the intelligence,” Halutz said that the law’s principles must be agreed upon first, and methods of effectively implementing them could be decided later.
Halutz joined Kadima in December 2010. He threw his support behind Mofaz in his race against Tzipi Livni for leadership of the party.