The UTJ party vehemently protests the words of the Prime Minister regarding the disbanding of the Plesner committee which resolved that if no solution is forthcoming, the law providing deferment of yeshiva students will terminate as of August 1, and those who do not report for army duty will be considered draft evaders.
The Party demands that the Prime Minister uphold the coalition agreement on this issue and pass a law enabling the continuance of Torah study for yeshiva students as in the past.
It also expressed its wrath at the Plesner committee which rejected all suggestions presented by professional civilian and security bodies, among them the abolishment of mandatory army service for all, a forum of all the populations and additional solutions which were totally ignored.
The Party stated that instead of dealing with any of those approaches, the committee chose to discuss only the ramifications for the religious public, including sanctions against Torah students, their families and children, which is not practical, honorable or decent, and violates basic human rights.
The UTJ stated that it justifiably refused to continue discussions, having objected to the establishment of the Plesner committee to begin with, knowing that its conclusions were foregone from the start and would merely serve to widen the rift within the general populace.
The Party objects to all who gave support to the establishment of the committee: the Prime Minister who agreed to it; the Chairman of Kadima, Shaul Mofaz and others, and declared that they must bear the responsibility for all consequences of its organization.
The Party also hopes that the Prime Minister shall uphold the coalition agreement and present a new bill enabling the continued existence of the Torah world and its scholars.
