IDF Steps Up Draft Evasion Enforcement Among Haredim Amidst Data Revealing Disparities

The Military Police are resuming enforcement operations against draft evaders from the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sector, which were paused during the recent holidays. In the past two weeks, arrest attempts were made at the homes of draft evaders in Dimona, Bat Yam, and Modi'in. However, in areas with a significantly higher concentration of young men who have not reported for military service, no activity is occurring. A "Draft Order 12" is issued to those who fail to report for their initial draft order or complete required obligations, such as medical check-ups. Receiving this order does not automatically mean desertion, as individuals may still report to a recruitment office and enlist. Nevertheless, a substantial portion of those receiving Order 12, who may also face exit bans from Israel, are yeshiva students who subsequently become draft evaders. Those who miss three initial draft summons receive a warning before arrest, followed by Order 12 with a mandatory enlistment date. Failure to report by this date can lead to an arrest warrant.

Between July 2023 and October 2025, over 15,000 yeshiva students received Order 12, according to IDF data released to the Movement for Freedom of Information. During the same period, only 2,187 yeshiva students enlisted in the IDF, meaning the number of potential draft evaders is seven times higher than those who enlisted. Analysis by city reveals the highest ratio of non-attendees to enlistees, at 26.2, in Arad, home to a large Gur Hasidic population, with 105 receiving Order 12 and only four enlisting. Ashdod also shows a high ratio, with 972 receiving Order 12 compared to 45 enlistees. In Yerucham, 31 yeshiva students received Order 12, and none enlisted. Haredi population centers like Modi'in Illit, Rekhasim, Beitar Illit, and Elad also show significantly higher numbers of Order 12 recipients than enlistees.

Conversely, some communities serve as examples of higher enlistment. In Kfar Chabad, 24 yeshiva students enlisted versus 16 who received Order 12. In Be'er Sheva and Kiryat Malachi, the numbers of enlistees and Order 12 recipients are roughly equal. Haredi protest organizations have been successful in thwarting some arrests. Last week in Modi'in, an attempt to arrest a Haredi man led to a large protest by hundreds of young men from nearby Modi'in Illit, who blocked roads and occupied a building with military police, ultimately preventing the arrest. Similar situations occurred in Dimona and Bat Yam. The IDF maintains that arrests are conducted equitably and based solely on professional and operational considerations. However, enforcement appears more rigorous in mixed populations, while in concentrated Haredi areas, the IDF avoids operations to prevent protests.

Attorney Yaara Winkler Shalit of the Movement for Freedom of Information criticized the IDF's practice of releasing public information only after legal proceedings, especially on critical issues like Haredi enlistment, hindering informed public discourse and accountability.