In recent months, there has been a heated debate about the recruitment of Haredim: while many in Israeli society demand that Haredim enlist, it turns out that there are those in secular society who are very concerned about Haredim being recruited into the IDF.
For example, the chairwoman of the Women's Lobby, Prof. Dafna Hecker.
According to a report by Yishai Friedman on Channel 14, Prof. Hecker participated in a joint conference of the University of Haifa and the Hebrew University, where she explained that the Hasmonaean Brigade, the same brigade in which ultra-Orthodox soldiers serve, poses a threat to women, the army, and Israeli society.
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Friedman notes that this claim by Professor Hecker - which prioritizes feminist considerations over the recruitment of Haredim - was met with opposition at that academic conference.
The Women's Lobby responded: "The Women's Lobby understands the security challenges facing the IDF, especially at this time, and supports the recruitment of Haredim into the IDF as part of its being the people's army.".
""However, we warn of a serious danger of harming the equality of female soldiers and commanders. Women have proven their courage and contribution in the war and their significant role in the army. It is absurd that those women, who defended the country's borders with their bodies, will now be ostracized and discriminated against simply because they are women.".
""We have addressed the Chief of Staff with an unequivocal demand to ensure that the recruitment of Haredim will not lead to the creation of spaces sterile of women - a situation that will set the IDF back and seriously harm the principles of equality in the IDF.""
'The "Women of the Fighters for the Sanctity of the Camp" in the "Hotem" organization responded to the attempt by the "Women's Lobby" to thwart the proper recruitment of Haredim into the IDF: "Extreme feminism harms the IDF and the sanctity of the camp.".
The statement they issued stated: "We, observant combat wives, have experienced firsthand the damage of radical feminism in IDF units throughout the war, in the mixing of the sexes and in the harm to the ability of our combat husbands to serve properly in the army.".
""Foreign-funded extremist organizations have negatively influenced the army through the Yohalam and have ostracized religious and ultra-Orthodox men who maintain their lifestyles, thereby harming Israel's security.".
""We call on Defense Minister Katz to remove the influence of radical feminism from the IDF and allow Torah-observant soldiers to serve properly. Only by observing "And let your camp be holy" will there be divine assistance for the warriors in battle.".
