A senior IDF officer revealed that only 177 ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men have enlisted in the military out of 10,000 draft orders issued since last summer. Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein detailed the army’s efforts to encourage enlistment.
The IDF has sent two rounds of draft notices, with 2,231 second orders issued to those who ignored the initial summons. More than 1,000 “arrest warrants” have been issued for those failing to comply, though the military police are not actively pursuing arrests. Instead, those declared as “draft evaders” will face legal consequences, including travel bans and potential arrest upon police encounters.
As of now, 265 Haredim have been officially classified as draft evaders. The IDF continues to push for higher compliance rates, but resistance within the Haredi community remains strong.
