Israeli protest demands equal service

Tens of thousands of people gathered Saturday night in Tel Aviv to demand that ultra-Orthodox and Arab Israelis participate in the burden of military and civilian service, Israeli daily (Haaretz) reported. Former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin told the rally "Unfortunately, there are still people who think they should not bear the burden. The Israeli daily quoted Diskin as saying that because the court had decided that the Tal Law, which exempts yeshiva students from military service, "the opportunity has been created to correct the injustice." Student Union Chairman Itzik Shmuli called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make the right decisions now. Likud MK Carmel Shama, who also attended the rally, said: "We can all march and protest but only one person can lead and make the historic change. (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu won't miss the chance to make history and ensure the future of the State of Israel." A number of public figures and former military leaders, including Gabi Ashkenazi, participated in the demonstration.