Bill could revoke IDF exemptions from women who lie about being religious
Bill means to "plug the gap through which girls evade enlistment by falsely declaring they're religious."
By LAHAV HARKOVCaracal soldiers on a 20k march.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Exemptions from IDF service for religious women may be revoked if someone is found to have lied about being religious, according to a bill approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation Sunday.Only Construction and Housing Minister Uri Ariel of Bayit Yehudi voted against the bill by Yesh Atid faction chairman Ofer Shelah and signed by Labor MKs Eitan Cabel, Itzik Shmuli and Miki Rosenthal, as well as MK David Tsur (Hatnua).“Over 40 percent of girls are exempted from serving in the IDF, mostly for religious reasons,” Shelah explained.“This is an outrageous injustice and a lack of equality in the burden between those who serve and those who avoid doing so.”Shelah said his bill is meant to “plug the gap through which girls illegally evade enlistment by falsely declaring they are religious.”The current law allows the IDF to rescind an exemption after it is granted if it has evidence that it was based on false information or an act of fraud, but not in regular cases of a woman declaring she is too religious to serve.Shelah’s bill removes an article in the law that says exemptions for religious reasons cannot be revoked, so these cases will now be treated like any other.
