The Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, commented today in an interview with Globes on the issue of recruiting the ultra-Orthodox and said that "those who do not enlist will not be able to issue a passport, will not be able to issue a driver's license, and will not have day care benefits."
Barkat also claimed: "If you don't enlist - don't ask for help from the state." Minister Barkat expressed firm support for the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox to the IDF, and emphasized the importance of additional soldiers for the security of the country.
According to him, "We need more soldiers, who will come from the ultra-orthodox society. We thought we didn't need many fighters, and that was a mistake. More fighters also means more internal security, because they will go home with weapons."
The Minister of Economy and Industry claimed that it is necessary to establish units adapted to the ultra-orthodox lifestyle, to provide incentives and impose individual sanctions. Barkat emphasized that the sanctions will not be imposed on the yeshiva, but on the individual.
* Channel 14 News contributed to this report.