Yossi Bachar Opposes Haredi Draft Sanctions in Election-Eve Interview

Yossi Bachar, a retired major general and Religious Zionism parliamentary candidate from Kibbutz Be’eri, argued against coercion and sanctions as a way to increase Haredi enlistment in an interview published on October 26. He said an opportunity had been missed to reach agreement on recruiting some Haredi men and expand participation over time. Bachar argued that sanctions would not fill combat units and would instead widen the divide between the Haredi community and meaningful military service. Speaking during telephone outreach to undecided voters, he said enlistment and responsibility for October 7 were among the questions they raised.