IDF Data Show Religious Zionists Lead Combat Enlistment, While Haredi Draft Remains Low

IDF figures obtained through a freedom of information request show that Religious Zionist men are far more likely than other groups to serve in combat roles. The data, published by Globes, indicate that 86.8% of Religious Zionist men enlist, and about 60% of those recruits choose combat service.

The highest combat rates are in West Bank settlements, where 75% of recruits serve in combat units. The report also notes that the real enlistment rate among yeshiva hesder graduates may be even higher, because some enlist later and are not fully counted in the age bracket examined.

At the other end of the scale, enlistment in the Haredi sector remains very low. The data show that only 11.7% of Haredi men enlist in the IDF, though estimates that include institutions missing from the army’s data put the real figure at 7.9%.

The numbers also challenge the common claim of low enlistment in Tel Aviv and other central cities. In state schools in central Israel, enlistment exceeds 90%, while among kibbutz and moshav graduates it reaches 94%. Among secular male enlistees, about 43% choose combat service, and cities such as Modi'in, Ra'anana, Kfar Saba and Tel Aviv show especially high enlistment and significant officer rates.

Another trend in the data is rising enlistment among Religious Zionist women. Although they are entitled to a religious exemption, their enlistment rate is about 30%, and in some areas it is higher. Those who work with their recruitment say current figures already point to more than 40%, and the data show that they are the only group with a steady increase in enlistment in recent years.