Gideon Sa'ar shows support for extension of military service

The leader of the Right-Wing Kingdom faction, MK Gideon Sa'ar, addressed the backlash within the government regarding the extension of service for regular soldiers and announced that his faction would support it if and when it is brought to Knesset approval.

At the opening of the faction meeting in the Knesset, the Right-Wing Kingdom chairman stated: "I want to address the farce that took place yesterday in the government meeting on the law to extend the period of regular service. Israel is in the midst of a serious security crisis."

"We constantly hear from military representatives, both in the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee and elsewhere, about the need for additional soldiers, specifically the need to extend regular service. The incident yesterday in the government meeting, where a political dispute ensued, and the government failed to advance this, has already led to a directive that shortens military service by two additional months a week ago."

According to him: "This is an unbearable farce, it is government dysfunction, and it is a threat to Israel's security. I want to emphasize the fact that extending regular service will ease the burden on reserve soldiers who are under unprecedented pressure."

"We will not politicize this issue."

Sa'ar continued to state: "Every regular battalion releases reserve battalions, so there is a vital need, as we hear repeatedly in the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, from IDF representatives regarding the extension of regular service. We believe that if this bill does not pass the Knesset without being implemented, it will simply jeopardize Israel's security."

He concluded: "I emphasize once again very clearly - we in the Right-Wing Kingdom will not politicize this issue; we are opposition to the government and not to the state, and we will support the law to extend regular service if the government decides to bring it to the Knesset."