Agudath Israel Claims Nrp Did Vote for Draft of Yeshiva Students

A statement issued by the Religious Zionists of America (reported in the JTA Daily News Bulletin March 13) that the resolution adopted by the National Religious Party convention in Israel was “erroneously and perhaps maliciously” interpreted as advocating compulsory military service for Yeshiva students in Israel, was rejected today by Agudath Israel of America as a “cowardly and misleading attempt to cover up for an NRP position which evoked world wide condemnation by Orthodox leaders.”

In a statement to the JTA, Agudath Israel declared that if the RZA claim of “misinterpretation” is true, then those who made this error include both Chief Rabbis of Israel, who “swiftly denounced” the NRP resolution. It also included the NRP party chief Yitzhak Rafael who stated that “even the Defense Minister (Moshe Dayan) has not dared to make this demand of us.” It also included the three-member world presidium of the Mizrachi movement, which issued a statement “sharply protesting the harmful decision…of the NRP to mobilize yeshiva students in Israel’s army.”

Agudath Israel noted that the official text of the resolution, as reported in the NRP’s own official daily-party organ, “Hatzofeh,” quotes the resolution adopted at the convention by a majority of 298-170 as follows…that students of Torah in yeshivos should be compelled to serve in the army, duty bound upon every individual, within a framework which combines Torah study with army service.” In this light, the Agudath Israel statement continued, “the American Mizrachi (RZA) leadership, instead of implying-malicious interpretation’ to all those who condemn the NRP convention resolution for undermining the yeshivos in the Holy Land, should have the courage to denounce its sister-organization in Israel for taking such an outlandish position….”