Khaberni - Yair Golan, the head of the "Democrats" party in the entity, responded today, Wednesday, to the support of the "Tzohar" organization for the call against mixing men and women in the armored corps.
Golan said: "Deep disappointment with an organization that claimed to be a moderate and liberal voice, now choosing to legitimize the exclusion of women from combat," adding: "This is a surrender to extremism. We will not accept this. The army is the army of the entire people. Women fight, lead, and command, and this is not up for negotiation."
Following the Supreme Court's decision, which mandates the integration of women fighters in the armored corps within maneuvering formations, dozens of rabbis from all streams of the (National Religious) current held an "emergency meeting" at the home of the late Rabbi Chaim Druckman. At the meeting, the rabbis said that religious soldiers would not be able to serve in the corps if the mixed-service of men and women together continues.
After the meeting, rabbis from the "Tzohar" organization (liberal religious Zionism rabbis) joined this call. The organization's statement read: "Integration of women fighters in field units in a way that may prevent religious soldiers from serving in them should be avoided."
The organization continued: "The army must urgently engage in dialogue with the heads of religious schools, in order to formulate a balanced solution that allows for the recruitment of women fighters while preserving the ability of soldiers committed to religious commandments to continue serving in field units."
Meanwhile, Sharon Nir, a member of the Knesset from the "Israel Our Home" party, attacked the rabbis' call, saying: "Instead of praising the service of women fighters who make up more than a fifth of the combat manpower in the army, they choose to 'condition' the service of religious soldiers on the exclusion of women."
Hagit Pe'er, head of the "Naamat" organization, also referred to statements by Chief of Staff Major General Eyal Zamir, saying: "His statements must be supported by actions and not surrender to this psychological terror. The known truth is that there is no people's army without the service of women."
On the other hand, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sided with the rabbis and wrote: "The vilest attack by the 'poison machine' against the heads of (settlement) schools and rabbis of 'Tzohar' for expressing a classic Torah and security stance, is unparalleled hypocrisy on the part of those who consider themselves liberals."
He added: "The utter silence that pervades other public opinion leaders in the face of this attack is proof that they are not seeking 'unity' but division. We will continue to educate our children and students to combine courage with faith, and to volunteer in large numbers in the army defending our beloved homeland, while preserving the values of Judaism and the sanctity of the community."
