EVERYBODY serves the state or loose citizenship and all benefits. Period. That goes for everybody.

Many Arabs are good people, betrayed by the government and courts. They only need to make two laws. he first law gives anyone who serves (army, national service) extra rights like lower university tuition, exclusive rights to buy land or exclusive right to government jobs. The second law is simple: anyone, Arab or Jew, who threatens or intimidates a citizen who wants to serve in the army or national service immediately loses citizenship and loses all bituach leumi rights, The criminal is then deported: Muslims to Gaza, Christians to Italy, Jews to Cuba. Only when Israel starts protecting its citizens from the extreme-Left and Islamists, things will improve.

Its not a one way street. Its not the country nor the IDF that only benefits Its about developing life skills confidence you would never aquire anywhere else Its about learning about Teamwork and Teamspirit Its about working together for a common cause Its about realising your potential In talking to the many many Israeli who DO want to serve - the IDF needs to address their concerns and sensitivities much as they are doing for the Haredi community One of the concerns that has been expressed to me is the singing of the Hatikvah..Is there not another more inclusive rousing anthem that could be adopted for the IDF that all serving personnel would be produd and comfortable belting out? Love to know Talkbackers views

Israeli governement is doing 'everything to integrate the Israeli Arabs into society. Tibi, Zoabi, a-Sanaa & their ilk are doing 'everything to prevent that! They will use every dirty trick in the book to torpedo that effort. It's time for both sides to take responsability. Those who incite against the State they live in & from, should be made to understand, politely but firm, that it's wiser for them to look for residency elswhere which will be probably more to their liking.

either way, thank you.

In the US, all service is voluntary. However, I've often thought it would benefit our society as a whole if it was compulsory. The kids would grow up with a sense of national pride and stop looking at the state as just a teet to milk. I was very happy to see the increase in Arab Israeli volunteers in this article. They should take part and take pride - it's their country too! The MKs that are trying to keep the religious divide going need to be thrown out! Another thing - in the US, it's a federal crime to assault a federal employee in the execution of their duties. I think Israel should up the penalties for those intimidating people performing national service. They are serving their country and should be afforded greater protections.

Compulsory service for jewish youngsters, and volunteering for Arabs is the most blatant discrimination in this country, but against Jews, who sacrifice 3 of the best years of their life to the state, while draft dodgers are advancing their professional agenda and visiting university. The latter profiteers should be barred from civil servant careers, social benefits, scholarships and access to university before age 22. If you consider my point of view as racist, please compare to the Jews' status in all arab countries, barred either from studying, public employment, army, with no choice of volunteering for national service.

O, hatikva is perfect. It is our jewish nation. Americans need to stop seeing Israel like america, we are not the same.

And what do u think the world will say when israel levies fines and jail time to those who assault a federal emloyee as you say? The world explodes when Israel farts let alone punish an arab for being angry at an arb for serving. The jewish interests (as they see it?

We are a Jewish nation, with minorities that have full rights as citizens. There is no reason to change our anthem because it might offend someone, or not be "relevent" to them. America has an anti-British anthem yet Britain is your Mother, your closest ally, and the biggest investor in the US economy. #8 Pini Does Israel have federal employees now, even though we are not a country with a federal system? Federal does not mean national or central government! Israel indeed is NOT America, nor would it help us to be like America.

I understand your point of view there. Honestly, I think Israel shouldn't give a flip about what the rest of the world says about its national service policies. Realistically though, they will, to some degree, consider their image in relation to those incidents. I think it's sad though. Israel spends so much time hand-wringing over simple things like fining criminals, while countries like Egypt endorse state-sponsored terrorism against its own citizens (take the recent Egyptian court ruling prosecuting Copts, while letting the Muslims go free) without blinking an eye.

your paper is very interesting and full of informations. Thanks! I believe in integration of Arabs and Jews (!) in Israel. I believe that when we talk to each other it's more difficult to be enemies, because at some point, if we are honest, we understand the other one. And I believe that Arabs and Jews can make Israel a small paradise, we have everything, what miss the most is mutual respect, from both sides, and compassion. But I'm optimist, we'll get them :-)

The law wants to equilize everybody. It's difficult to integrate everybody at the same time so civil service is a fair deal. Arabs want to remain exclusing but demand for everything. The threats that Tibi and Zoabi are making can be defeated. "let them dont try our muscles" Enough is enough they pur conditions withoutgiging nothing to the State. Just like the Palestinians they want everything and give nothing two of the same trash

should have a right to vote and to participate in the elections. If an individual is not willing to contribute his time to service his or her society than that individual shouldn't make decisions about the future of that society.

it the normal way. this is just common sense. 2 way street; give and receive.

Tim Whats the big deal with Hatikvah. The words don't mean anything to the arabs so what its an anthem and nobody is asking them to find it rousing? LONG TO REIGN OVER US GOD SAVE THE QUEEN As I am sure you know that's the last line of the British national anthem but what about the republicans who hate the idea of monarchy? For a republican those words are everything they despise but if there is a major event which warrants the singing of the anthem most republicans will sing it because they want a queen to reign over them but because they live in the real world and accept until things change they will be the words of the national anthem In Israel the arabs don't have to like Hatikvah or think its an anthem they can relate to but its the anthem and at occasions where the anthem is sang they should just see it as singing a song.

According to Zouabi THE CALL FOR MANDATORY NATIONAL SERVICE IS LIKE DECLARING WAR ON THE PALESTINIANS IN ISRAE. A STATE THAT TRIES TO FORCE A PLAN ON CITIZENS AGAINST THEIR WILL IS A BLIND THAT IS ACTING ON STUPIDITY. I hope to hear Zouabi joining the haredi in their calls not to be forced to serve as they want to devote their time to Torah study. At least the haredi have a good reason for not wanting to serve ( they want to be better Jews ) the arabs don't want to serve because they don't believe the country they want to be citizens of has a right to exist. Any bill that replaces the Tal Law forcing haredi to serve must also stipulate that national service be mandatory for arabs as well and if it doesn't then I hope it fails to pass because we can't take away the legal exclusion given to one group but still allow the other group a right to chose. National service must mean NATIONAL( the whole nation serves )