Yediot Ahronot's military correspondent, Yossi Yehoshua, claims that the defense establishment doesn't need more haredi soldiers, and therefore the discussion of the draft law is completely unnecessary.

"You ask if the IDF needs more haredim in service and the answer is no," Yehoshua told Army Radio. "There are about 3,000 haredim who enlist in the army every year, the majority for combat units, and more haredi soldiers will cause another headache for the IDF."

"Every haredi framework costs a lot more money for the IDF and creates a lot of limitations with the new trend of an increase in female combat soldiers," Yehoshua added.

"In 2021, in two years, the IDF will have an increase of soldiers which will reach to 17,000 soldiers with nothing to occupy them by 2025. A full 17,000 soldiers. A committee headed by Major General Motti Almoz was set up to find a solution for these soldiers - how to release them. In two years, we'll have a surplus of soldiers."

"We really don't need them," Yehoshua emphasized. "The haredi battalion recently changed its character and the IDF was forced to remove the females who serve in the same brigade because they promised the haredi battalion that there would be no girls in the sector. Who needs them?"

"It's clear to everyone that the IDF doesn't need haredi soldiers, not even in the combat units, and will soon release a large number of soldiers. They are very expensive - a haredi soldier costs more than double than a regular soldier and therefore this whole discussion is completely unnecessary," Yehoshua concuded.