Ben Sahar
צילום: עודד שלו
Knesset discusses army service for gifted athletes
Good news for Chelsea striker Ben Sahar, other exceptional athletes: Law allowing Israeli ‘sports prodigies’ to complete national service abroad in lieu of army service will soon be sent to Knesset for initial reading
Sahar’s law is gaining momentum: On Monday The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee approved for first reading the ‘national service abroad for sports prodigies’ bill proposed by MK Haim Katz, also known as ‘Sahar’s Bill’.
This bill would allow gifted athletes, considered ‘sports prodigies’ by the IDF, to complete “national service” tasks in Jewish communities aboard in lieu of regular army service.
Prior to the Knesset vote okaying the bill by a majority of eight MKs, MK Katz presented the Knesset with the bill he drafted, and outlines its purpose and the possible repercussions of preventing its approval.
Katz noted that “European teams are recruiting very young talented players these days, and it becomes very easy for these players to attain European passports,” he said. “Ultimately playing on the Israeli national team becomes only ONE option and not the ONLY option for them.”
Striker Ben Sahar. Photo courtesy of Eli Elgarat
MK Katz also noted that : “We already have a ‘national service’ initiative in place in Jewish communities aboard. I am sure that we can find a place for exceptional athletes to perform their national service duties within these communities. These athletes can contribute aboard just as much as exceptional athletes do here at home during their IDF service.”
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, MK Tzachi Hanegbi, also endorsed “Sahar’s Bill” and said that he would make every effort to implement it should it pass First Reading
The ‘national service bill’ will be presented for First Reading in the Knesset next month, whereby MKs will vote whether or not to continue the legislative process and send the bill for second and third reading. The entire legislative process, culminating in the bill becoming actual law, might take several months.
In the meantime, sources close to striker Ben Sahar, the catalyst for this bill, hope that it might be adopted in third reading(making it official law) by the end of the current season. Even if the bill does become law, however, it might require major amendments and it will take some time before it is implemented.
