FM employee: Lieberman a provocateur

Following Ynet report of minister's demand that military service or national service be set as prerequisite for becoming Foreign Ministry cadet, ministry employee who finished cadet course says, 'Luckily we have laws in this country against discrimination.' Ministry source concerned over potential loss of Arabic speakers

Daniel Edelson|Published: 08.24.09 , 21:30

The foreign minister is shooting himself in the foot, according to a Foreign Ministry employee following Ynet's report on Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's proposal that only those who have completed military service or national service be eligible to enter the ministry's cadets' course that trains diplomats to represent Israel abroad.

"It's hard for me to believe that this will actually reach fruition," said the Foreign Ministry employee, herself a graduate of the cadets' course.

"Luckily, there are laws in the country, including laws against discrimination, and a person can't change the way of the world with the stroke of one statement. In general, the foreign minister makes all kinds of statements, and I have stopped being outraged by them. That's who he is, and he looks for provocations. It is not a statement with any thought behind it," said the cadet, who asked not to be identified.

"Thankfully, the influence of his opinions still isn't felt in the ministry. But this could change. It depends what he does."

The cadet also mentioned that "there are a lot of people who did not serve in the military or do national service because they immigrated at a later age or because the military didn't recruit them. This doesn't mean that they can't serve the country in a different way. The minister included in his statement all kinds of people, some of whom could even be serving in his office. Many people who immigrated together with him didn't serve in the military and didn't do national service. Would he disqualify them? Such cadets can loyally serve the country no less than I can, and it is a shame that such statements will make it harder for them."

Lieberman said that he will ask for a legal opinion on the issue, and, if needed, will take action to change the law in the Knesset.

Legal expert, Dr. Yoram Rabin, who specializes in constitutional law at the College of Management Academic Studies, said that the directive is not legally feasible. According to him, people's and citizens' rights can only be revoked through law, and, even then, only "proportionally and with clear purpose."