Most Ultra-Orthodox Draft Dodgers Arrested Randomly, Not Through Planned Operations Despite Law Suspension
Despite the Israeli Supreme Court freezing the law exempting ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers from arrest, proactive efforts to locate them have significantly decreased in the past month. Currently, about 40 ultra-Orthodox youths are held in military prison, with most arrested during random encounters with police or attempts to leave the country. Approximately half were identified at Ben Gurion Airport while trying to travel to Europe and then to Ukraine to pray at Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's grave for the Jewish New Year.
Earlier this week, ahead of the holidays, the IDF released an AI-generated video advising ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers on how to avoid arrest at the airport by presenting their draft summons and personal details before legally departing. The video was removed following criticism. This tactic is already well-known in the ultra-Orthodox community, where many use it to travel abroad without intending to enlist. Several Hasidic rabbis have urged followers not to risk arrest by traveling to Uman and to remain in Israel, emphasizing refusal to enlist or begin recruitment processes even to gain travel permission.
Regarding law enforcement, the IDF stated that police do not provide sufficient support for arrest operations, while police maintain they follow required protocols. The reduction in arrests has calmed tensions and decreased protests and roadblocks by militant factions opposing conscription. The government’s legal advisor, Gali Baharav-Miara, noted in a Supreme Court response that widespread public disturbances complicate proactive arrests and require significant resource allocation.
Since the "Between the Times" period, only two protests against draft dodger arrests were reported, including one involving a young man under investigation by Lahav 433 who was later transferred to military police as a draft dodger. Aside from one recent proactive arrest, all others occurred at Ben Gurion Airport or during incidental police encounters, not through planned operations.
