JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday outlined a five-step plan to integrate the ultra-Orthodox community into Israeli society and increase enlistment in the Israel Defense Forces, a day after violent unrest in Bnei Brak.

In a post on X, Bennett called for the immediate cancellation of government subsidies, housing discounts and stipends for individuals who neither serve in the military nor participate in the workforce. The policy, he said, would apply to both Jews and Arabs. He also proposed barring non-serving individuals from participating in state housing programs.

"אמרת מה לא, אז מה כן?"

הנה התכנית המעשית לשילוב החברה החרדית בישראל:

1. להפסיק לחלוטין את כל הקצבאות, הסובסידיות במעונות, הנחות הארנונה, מחיר למשתכן ולמעשה כל סוג של תשלום לציבור שבוחר שלא לשרת ולא לעבוד. זה יחול על כל מי שבוחר לא לשרת: יהודים וערבים כאחד.

2. להעביר את כל…

— Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) February 16, 2026

Under what he termed a “Serving Citizens Law,” Bennett said funds would instead be redirected to Israelis who serve in the military or national service, with special priority given to active reservists.

Bennett further proposed the creation of specialized military service tracks tailored for the haredi community, including the establishment of yeshiva frameworks along Israel’s borders with Jordan and Egypt. In those programs, participants would divide their day between Torah study and military service, allowing them to maintain a religious lifestyle while contributing to national defense. He said such tracks could free tens of thousands of reservists from extended duty.

The former premier also called for an immediate halt to funding for schools that do not teach core subjects such as mathematics and English or that promote opposition to the state and the military. He urged expanding what he described as “national-haredi” schools that combine religious studies with general education.

The proposal concluded with a call for strict law enforcement and “zero tolerance for violence,” referencing unrest both in the Negev and in Bnei Brak.

Bennett’s comments come amid renewed debate in Israel over military conscription exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, an issue that has sparked political tensions and periodic street protests.