Dozens of Chabad Hasidim Declared Deserters Detained at Ben Gurion Airport

By דבר

Translated & summarized from Davar by baba

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Dozens of Chabad Hasidim classified as deserters were detained at Ben Gurion Airport upon returning from the United States. They had been studying at Chabad institutions abroad and are considered deserters for not completing mandatory IDF service. The detentions follow potential violations of their military service deferment terms. The individuals will now face processing under military law.

The story in 5 lines · by baba

Dozens of Chabad Hasidim classified as deserters were detained at Ben Gurion Airport.
The detentions occurred upon their return from studying at Chabad institutions in the U.S.
The individuals had not completed their mandatory military service in the IDF.
They are believed to have violated the terms of their military service deferment.
Those detained will be processed under Israeli military law.

Dozens of Chabad Hasidim Declared Deserters Detained at Ben Gurion Airport — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

Dozens of Chabad Hasidim, officially classified as deserters, were detained at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday. The detentions reportedly occurred as they returned to Israel after completing a year of study at Chabad institutions in the United States.

The individuals are considered deserters because they have not completed their mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Chabad Hasidism, a prominent Hasidic movement, has a long-standing exemption policy for its students studying in its institutions abroad, allowing them to defer military service. However, this exemption is conditional on their continued study and adherence to specific regulations.

It is understood that the detained individuals may have violated the terms of their deferment, potentially by remaining abroad for longer than permitted or by engaging in activities inconsistent with their student status. Airport authorities and military officials were involved in the process of identifying and detaining these individuals. The exact number of those detained was not specified, but the report indicates "dozens."

Following the detentions, the individuals are expected to be processed according to military law. This may involve questioning, potential legal proceedings, and ultimately, their induction into military service. The incident highlights the ongoing tension between the religious community's educational pursuits abroad and the state's requirement for military conscription.