Dozens of Haredi Draft Dodgers Arrested at Ben Gurion Airport

A significant enforcement operation at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday led to the detention of at least 40 young Haredi men, identified as draft dodgers, immediately after their arrival from the United States. The individuals, who belong to the Chabad Hasidic movement, had been studying in the U.S. and returned to Israel specifically to vote in upcoming elections. They were apprehended at passport control and immediately transported by military police to the Tel Hashomer induction center for disciplinary proceedings. The IDF stated that candidates for service who refuse to enlist or obey orders will be sent to military prison. The military police are committed to uniform enforcement of the security service law at all entry and exit points into Israel, in coordination with the Population and Immigration Authority. The IDF emphasized that those detained are obligated to enlist and will be judged according to the law, vowing to continue equitable enforcement and the fulfillment of the service duty.

The incident sparked immediate political controversy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with the Haredi radio station Kol Barama, strongly condemned the arrests, calling the enforcement measures unacceptable. He suggested the operation was a deliberate attempt to undermine the process of Haredi enlistment without coercion. Netanyahu also stressed the importance of Torah study, stating it has preserved the Jewish people throughout history and must be maintained. However, he added that those who do not study should enlist. The Prime Minister also addressed the Haredi parties' demand for a regulated exemption law, expressing hope for swift legislative action. He recalled a previous attempt to pass a similar law that narrowly failed, suggesting it could be passed in the next term to regulate relations between Haredi and secular Israelis for generations, preserving the world of Torah while ensuring a new distribution of the burden of service.