Want to avoid reserve duty? Date a Knesset member

In wake of yesterday's report about Effi Etiam (see yesterday's blog entry) Yediot Aharonot reports today that Likud MK Inbal Gavrieli contacted military officials in an attempt to get her boyfriend out of reserve duty. According to the report, she rejected a proposal to transfer him to another unit.

"I want one day a year," she's quoted as saying. Gavrieli denies the story.

Her boyfriend is Liran Strauber, goalie for Israel's national soccer team. A related story tells how Strauber didn't report for reserve duty, and that he actually attempted to get a medical release!!! So he'd like us to believe that he's physically unfit for military service, but is fit enough to be on the soccer field. Army doctors refused his request. 

I'd like to say that it's just the right-wingers, but I'm sure the lefties are also doing it. I don't have any inside information, but don't be surprised to see a similar story involving a Labor or Meretz MK in the coming days.

Eitam and Son: Escape from Gaza

Great story in today's Yediot Aharonot. Turns out while he was minister, MK Effi Eitam (National Religious Party) requested from senior Israel Defense Forces officials that his son Amitzur be transferred from a reserve unit attached to the Gaza Strip to a unit in the Golan Heights. True, this would have brought Amitsur closer to his parents' home in the Golan, but MK Eitam has been among the most vocal opponents to Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan, which would include a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

How many other reservists can have their dad call senior military officials with such a request. (George W. Bush notwithstanding.) The Yediot report also says that members of Eitam's ministerial staff made calls to the army with the same request. Think they would be willing to do the same for me?

And kudos to Yediot for a great headline (inside, not front page) for the story:
Effi Eitam wanted to disengage his son from Gaza