Religious Zionism Candidate Claims Gaza Victory Amid Conscription Debate
A heated exchange at a Religious-Zionist Reservists Forum highlighted sharp divisions over ultra-Orthodox conscription and Israel's military achievements in Gaza, as candidate Itamar Eitam defended coalition realities.
A heated debate erupted at a conference of the Religious-Zionist Reservists Forum regarding ultra-Orthodox conscription and the status of the war in Gaza. Itamar Eitam, running on the Religious Zionism party slate, asserted that Israel has already achieved victory in the campaign, despite ongoing warnings from the security establishment about Hamas regrouping and reclaiming control over the Gaza Strip's population.
The friction began when Lali Deri, representing the Amcha Yisrael party, criticized the leadership of Religious Zionism for failing to take a firm public stance against the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military service. Eitam defended his party, pointing to the active military service of party leader Bezalel Smotrich's sons and arguing that political pragmatism dictates the current coalition options.
When challenged from the audience by a reservist who noted that no conscription law has been passed after three years of right-wing governance, Eitam acknowledged the difficulty of the issue. He explained that future coalition scenarios remain constrained, pointing to either a minority government backed by the opposition and Mansour Abbas or the continuation of the current right-wing coalition alongside ultra-Orthodox factions.
