By Lorraine Caballero, CHRISTIAN DAILY
A bill prescribing jail terms to people who discourage Christian Arabs from joining the military service or persuading them to desert has been approved by a Knesset committee, prompting activists to speak out against it, saying it violates the Arabs’ freedom of expression.
The said bill, which gained opposition from the Joint List of Arab parties, was approved by the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee last week. Arab MKs contend that the controversial bill could be used to suppress the debate on whether Arab Christians should join the army, Haaretz reports.
“Everyone has the right to express their opinion, especially in view of the disagreement in the Christian community on joining the army,” Israeli Arab lawyer and politician Osama Saadia told Haaretz on Sunday. “The fact that they held the discussion despite the agreement not to do so is suspicious and inappropriate.”
Nirit Moskovich of the Social Guard NGO also said that the debates on the issue were supposed to be skipped during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, but the committee met with the Jewish MKs and approved the bill unanimously.
At present, the law prescribes between three and 15 years in prison to people who convince others to desert their military duties and to those who help a deserter. For some Justice Ministry officials, a new bill is unnecessary since the current law could also be applied to military volunteers.
Earlier this year, the Knesset approved a bill which expanded the punishment for discouraging a person from joining the security forces. The penalty is now five years in prison, making it equivalent to a person who incites against mandatory IDF duties, The Jerusalem Post relays.
Yoav Kisch of the ruling Likud party said the bill aims to stop incitement against Christian IDF soldiers. Kisch, who proposed the controversial military bill, said the Christian soldiers are not required to enlist and unite people.
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