Haredi Commander Leaves IDF After Rabbi Orders Him to Flee

A Haredi commander serving in a prestigious technological unit within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently resigned from the military following instructions from a senior rabbi affiliated with the Shas party. Rabbi Avraham Salim, a prominent figure in the Sephardi Haredi community and a member of Shas's Council of Torah Sages, reportedly told the soldier to leave the army, stating that it is "at war with Torah scholars" and warning that his family could be harmed if he remained a soldier. The rabbi suggested the soldier could continue with reserve duty but should avoid any activities that would further tie him to the military.

According to the soldier, several prominent rabbis initially supported his military service, particularly around the time of the October 7th Hamas attacks. However, as the crisis surrounding the military draft law intensified and sanctions were imposed on draft dodgers, this rabbinical support waned. Rabbi Salim's final directive to leave the IDF marked the culmination of this pressure. Sources close to Rabbi Salim confirmed the details of the report.

In related news, soldiers who refused to board an Namer armored personnel carrier with a female soldier will be sent to military prison. Separately, a Haredi draft dodger who was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle has been handed over to military police.