Lapid's terms: Universal draft, peace talks
Yesh Atid chairman sets two red lines in negotiations to join coalition, appoints team of negotiators. Meanwhile, party is divided on potential partners
Lapid intends to push for a universal draft bill. According to Lapid's proposal, at the age of 18 every Israeli youth, including Arabs and haredim, is to report to a recruitment center where the IDF will assess where and whether they will serve according to the army's needs.
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The army, and not the government, will decide who will be assigned to combat units or administrative positions and who will be sent for national service. Only 400 outstanding yeshiva students will be exempt from service at every enlistment cycle.
Lapid outside his house, Thursday morning (Photo: Moti Kimhi)
Apart from these two red lines, Yesh Atid will push for a reduction in housing rates, an education reform that will see core studies in all schools, and the reduction of the number of government ministers to a maximum of 18.
Members of Yesh Atid's list are divided as to their potential coalition partners. Lapid himself has refused to rule out the haredi factions however members of his party estimated that passing a universal draft bill would be easier without the ultra-Orthodox.
Others are less adamant about the exclusion of the haredim and are more concerned about working alongside Habayit Hayehudi. Leaving out Naftali Bennett's party, they claim, would enable progress in the peace process. They believe Shas can be a partner to negotiations on universal draft.
Meanwhile, Lapid announced Thursday he was appointing Brigadier-General (res.) Hillel Kobrinsky as Yesh Atid's chief negotiator on coalition matters.
Former Likud director-general and Ariel Sharon advisor Uri Shani and media figure Danny Vasli will also be in the negotiation team.
Tzvika Brot is a Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent
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