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In a surprising and historic move, Likud members of Knesset approved the Plesner committee report on army and national service Sunday morning, setting the stage for the enlistment of Haredi soldiers.

Likud MKs took the vote after some 35,000 Israelis took to the streets Saturday night in Tel Aviv, protesting their status as "suckers" who go to the army while Haredi youth are granted an exemption to study in yeshiva.

Apparently feeling the public pressure, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu agreed to all the Plesner committee recommendations with the exception of a modified national service requirement for Arab citizens. Netanyahu had dissolved the Plesner committee only last week, citing irreconciable differences among members, a move that was widely interpreted as a gift to Haredi parties. Now, a joint government committee will meet to form legislation with the aim of presenting a bill to Knesset by next Monday.

Netanyahu made the following statement Sunday at the Knesset:

"The new bill must change reality, gradually increase the number of those who serve and be handled responsibly to maintain national unity.

"I fully understand those who serve and their families. Everyone must share the burden. We shall give positive incentives to those who serve and negative ones to those who evade draft. Draft dodgers will not receive the same as those who serve. We are doing this 64 years after the issue wasn't handled properly. This is a historic change."

The move comes just hours after more than 35,000 IDF reserve soldiers and their supporters marched on the Tel Aviv Art Museum, just across the street from the Kirya, the military headquarters of the IDF.

Joined by politicians from across the political spectrum, the march was part of what has come to be called the "suckers" movement. The Hebrew word, "fraier," connotes someone who willingly submits to unjust or ridiculous demands without protest.

Specifically, they called for an end to exemptions for Haredi Jews and Israeli Arabs from the military draft or non-military national service.

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