Jerusalem Resident with Polish Citizenship Detained at Ben Gurion Airport for Draft Evasion

A 19-year-old resident of East Jerusalem, Lia Fardella, who holds Polish citizenship but not Israeli citizenship, was detained at Ben Gurion Airport while attempting to travel abroad with her family. Military police accused her of evading mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and transferred her to a military prison. Fardella, an Arab Christian, grew up in East Jerusalem and attended an American school, reportedly speaking little Hebrew, according to Ynet. Her mother stated that the family never received draft notices and Lia was unaware of her obligation to serve. The mother claims her daughter was removed from the boarding line and taken away, and that their lawyer has not yet been permitted to contact her. Israeli law mandates military service for citizens and permanent residents over 18. However, permanent residents of East Jerusalem without Israeli citizenship are typically not drafted due to IDF and Ministry of Defense policy. Lia's mother suggested that draft notices might have been sent to an old address in Petah Tikva, where the family lived 14 years prior, and were therefore not received. The mother described the detention as traumatic for her daughter, who she says does not understand the charges against her, emphasizing that Lia is a Polish Christian living in East Jerusalem, not an Israeli or a Jew. The IDF stated the situation is under review and that notices are issued in accordance with the law. In a separate incident on August 5, a man wanted for over a decade was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport, suspected of committing sexual offenses against minors.