'Little girls with microphones': IDF veteran slams MKs during Basic Law: Torah Study cm'tee meeting

A soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) disrupted a Knesset House Committee debate on the Basic Law: Torah Study bill, sharply criticizing the lawmakers. The veteran, addressing the committee, described the politicians' behavior as "squabbling like a bunch of little girls who were handed microphones."

He conveyed the profound suffering of 107 veterans present, stating, "My friends sit here every day, and it's a crime what you're doing to them - all of you here. Every day they cry." The veteran emphasized the disconnect between the politicians' actions and the reality faced by those who have served, suggesting that seeing footage of casualties would prevent the lawmakers from sleeping.

The Basic Law: Torah Study bill is a contentious piece of legislation. Critics argue that it facilitates draft evasion by allowing yeshiva students to continue receiving state benefits without serving in the IDF, exacerbating the military's severe manpower shortage. The bill has faced opposition even from within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. Despite this, coalition efforts are underway to fast-track the legislation ahead of a potential Knesset dissolution, with haredi party leaders threatening to disrupt the legislative agenda if the bills are not advanced rapidly.

“

What is wrong with you? How do you run a country like this? My friends sit here every day, and it's a crime what you're doing to them - all of you here. Every day they cry. Hugging us in the hallways doesn't do anything. If I gave each and every one of you the footage from my GoPro of the bodies, you wouldn't sleep at night.