Knesset Members Demand Answers on Haredi Draft Evasion Enforcement

Four Israeli Knesset members have formally requested information from the Military Advocate General, Major General Itai Ofir, regarding the enforcement of military conscription laws against draft-dodging Haredi yeshiva students. The lawmakers, Efrat Rahten, Ram Ben-Barak, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, and Oded Forer, expressed concern that arrests of yeshiva students, who are obligated to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), have significantly decreased in recent months.

Their inquiry follows the September 3, 2026, High Court of Justice (Bagatz) ruling that overturned a law freezing the arrest of Haredi draft evaders. Despite the law's annulment, the MKs suspect that full enforcement measures against those who fail to report for service have not yet resumed.

In their appeal, the parliamentarians emphasized that equal and effective enforcement of the service obligation is crucial not only legally but also for the IDF's ability to expand its ranks and for maintaining the trust and sense of fairness among hundreds of thousands of conscripts and reservists. They are seeking confirmation from the IDF that procedures for yeshiva students are proceeding in accordance with the law and military policy.

The lawmakers have demanded comprehensive data on the number of arrests made since the beginning of 2026, broken down by month. They specifically requested statistics for July-September and the period following the High Court's September 3 decision. If there has been a notable change in enforcement actions, the IDF must explain the reasons and state whether it intends to return to the level of enforcement that existed before the freeze law was enacted.