Most IDF draft dodgers not from ultra-Orthodox community – report

In November, the court gave the state 45 days to show it had taken greater steps to punish ultra-Orthodox men refusing draft orders.

By World Israel News Staff

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish draft dodgers account for less than half of the total number of Israelis who received draft notices but failed to appear at induction centers, according to a report by Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday.

The figures were based on a briefing presented to government ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during deliberations Sunday on proposed sanctions for draft dodgers.

During Sunday’s hearing, government ministers mulled economic sanctions for those refusing draft orders, with the aim of equalizing measures against draft dodgers, regardless of what sector they are affiliated with.

Since 2024, the government has struggled to meet draft quotas imposed by the Supreme Court on the ultra-Orthodox community, with large numbers of yeshiva students – who until now were eligible for annual deferments – simply refusing to respond to draft notices.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has pushed for tougher sanctions on ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers and has petitioned the Supreme Court to force the state to adopt her proposals, accusing the government of ignoring the court’s previous rulings.

In November, the court gave the state 45 days to show it had taken greater steps to punish ultra-Orthodox men refusing draft orders.

Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers, however, have accused the government of selective enforcement of draft laws, singling out the ultra-Orthodox for punishment while large numbers of other Israelis also fail to appear at induction offices without similar sanctions.

According to the Defense Ministry figures presented to ministers on Sunday, there are some 90,000 draft-eligible citizens, ages 18 to 29, who have failed to appear at induction centers despite receiving draft notices. Of those, approximately 45% are members of the ultra-Orthodox community.

The figures do not include most of Israel’s Arab population, the vast majority of which is not eligible for the draft.

At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu called for the establishment of a ministerial team to work with the IDF’s Manpower Directorate to examine how the issue should be handled, the Channel 14 report said.  The team’s conclusions will be presented to Netanyahu within 30 days.