IDF Identifies Cities With Highest Rates of Ultra-Orthodox Draft Dodgers

The Military Police are intensifying efforts to apprehend draft dodgers from the ultra-Orthodox sector following the recent holiday period. Between October 12 and October 26, attempts were made to detain deserters in Dimona, Bat Yam, and Modiin. However, in areas with predominantly ultra-Orthodox populations, where a significantly larger number of young men have failed to report for conscription, the Military Police have been inactive.

These detentions are conducted under Order No. 12 (צו 12), which the IDF issues to individuals who miss their initial conscription notice or fail to complete mandatory procedures like medical exams. From July 2023 to October 2025, over 15,000 yeshiva students received Order No. 12, while only 2,187 yeshiva students were drafted during the same period. The number of individuals who could potentially become deserters, months after failing to report, is seven times higher than those who have been drafted.

An analysis of cities reveals that Arad, home to a large Gur Hasidic community, has the highest ratio of non-recruits to draftees, at 26.2 to 1. In Arad, only four yeshiva students were drafted, while 105 received Order No. 12. Ashdod, also with a significant Gur Hasidic presence, shows a similar high ratio, with 972 yeshiva students receiving Order No. 12 and only 45 drafted. Yerucham saw 31 yeshiva students receive Order No. 12, with no ultra-Orthodox youth drafted between July 2023 and October 2025.

Other ultra-Orthodox population centers exhibit comparable figures. Modiin Illit has a ratio of 16.2, Rechasim near Haifa 24.5, Beitar Illit 13.7, and Elad 10.9. Receiving Order No. 12 does not automatically mean desertion, as some individuals eventually report for duty. However, a substantial portion of those who receive the order, and are subject to travel restrictions, later become deserters.

Protests by ultra-Orthodox organizations have disrupted some arrests. In Modiin, riots erupted when Military Police attempted to arrest a young man. Following alerts from radical organizations via the "Tzeva Shahor" system, hundreds of youths from Modiin Illit arrived, blocked roads, and barricaded themselves with police in a building, eventually leaving without making an arrest. Similar incidents occurred in Dimona and Bat Yam.

The IDF maintains that arrests are conducted without discrimination and on equal grounds, but acknowledges refraining from operations in some ultra-Orthodox enclaves to avoid backlash. Lawyer 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 ultra-Orthodox conscription, hindering public discourse. The IDF stated that its actions against draft dodgers are lawful and coordinated with the Israel Police, with arrest locations chosen for professional and operational reasons and enforcement being equal.