No Arrest Campaigns for Draft Evaders on Election Day, Election Officials Decide

Israel’s Central Elections Committee announced on Tuesday that no enforcement operations will be carried out on Election Day targeting draft evaders, or “deserters,” so voters can cast ballots without fear. The decision was reached with the consent of Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Solberg, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and Police Commissioner Dan Levi.

The move came after appeals from ultra-Orthodox factions, which warned that a wave of arrests could deter potential voters from going to polling stations. They argued that the fear of being detained on Election Day could infringe on citizens’ democratic right to vote.

Levi stressed that the police will still deploy reinforced forces nationwide on Election Day to maintain public order and ensure the vote is conducted properly. The Central Elections Committee chairman welcomed the commissioner’s statement.

The decision is intended to remove any concern that eligible voters would avoid the polls because of draft-related arrests, while preserving regular police presence across the country.