Attorney-General Gali Barharav Miara on Monday called to implement personal sanctions against draft evaders, including financial sanctions and bans from leaving the country and holding a driver’s license, and announced that draft orders will soon be sent to tens of thousands of bnei yeshivos. Speaking at the Israel Bar Association’s annual conference, she claimed that the non-conscription of bnei yeshivos “harms equality in the most blatant way” and “mortally wounds the basic sense of justice.” She then called to increase and deepen sanctions against drafter evaders, emphasizing: “Effective sanctions must be personal. As explained by security officials, the sanctions must meet the individual in his personal life, at the airport, in the bank account, in the use of a car, and so on.” “In contrast to personal sanctions, community sanctions are not perceived by professional sources as having a similar potential impact. They do not direct the behavior of the individuals themselves.” She then outlined three steps of her plan to increase army recruits, with the first step being “a very significant increase in the scope of conscription orders.” “Step two – exhausting the existing military enforcement tools regarding evaders,” she continued. “Step three – expanding the basket of sanctions and incentives regarding evaders.” “Additional significant enforcement measures can be advanced in government decisions, without legislation,” she claimed. “The matter is in the hands of the ministerial echelon.” She continued: “The Chief of Staff has instructed the army to formulate a plan for a significant increase in the scope of conscription orders and the exhaustion of existing enforcement tools. I welcome this. I understand that the plan is supposed to be presented within a short time. Regarding the expansion of sanctions, so far, the government has refrained from advancing the issue. This conduct is inconsistent with the needs of the army and with the constitutional right of equality.” In her speech, Baharav-Miara also slammed the current government’s “contempt and defiance of  the law” and its “harm to the judicial authority.” “Under the cover of the war, disregard for the law is felt,” she said. “This is not a warning regarding the future, this is the reality in practice.” “The system of government is changing before our eyes, and a central aspect of the change is the systematic weakening of checks and balances. What is  particularly dangerous is the ongoing harm to the judicial authority and its independence.” She claimed that an independent judicial authority is “the pillar for preventing abuse of governmental power in Israel “and the “weakening of democracy.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)