Israel's Attorney General Criticizes State Over Draft Evasion
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Israel's Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara criticized the state's weak enforcement against over 110,000 draft evaders, many of whom are Haredi. She stated the government must take more effective, equitable measures to bolster army ranks and reduce the burden on serving soldiers. The 'Israel Hofshit' movement accused the government of prioritizing draft evaders over those who serve, demanding equality in military service.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara criticized Israel's weak enforcement against 110,000 draft evaders.
- Most draft evaders are from the Haredi community, according to the Attorney General.
- Baharav-Miara stated the state must take more effective, equitable enforcement measures.
- The Attorney General emphasized the need to bolster army ranks and support reservists.
- 'Israel Hofshit' movement accused the government of siding with draft evaders.
- Over 100,000 young Israelis have reportedly evaded military service.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has sharply criticized the state's enforcement of mandatory military conscription, stating in an update to the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) that Israel is far from exhausting its available tools. The majority of draft evaders, particularly from the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, are subject to conscription orders but have not enlisted. The Attorney General emphasized the state's obligation to enforce conscription equally across all sectors of the public, taking effective individual enforcement measures against those who have received draft orders and failed to report. This obligation stems from the law, the state's commitment to reducing inequality and the burden on soldiers, especially reservists, and the urgent security need to bolster the regular army's ranks.
Baharav-Miara outlined that enforcement should include criminal proceedings and governmental civil-economic enforcement policies. These policies must be effective, equitable, and proportionate, preventing benefits linked directly or indirectly to draft evasion. She highlighted the importance of expanding activities that have shown success, such as increased criminal and civil-economic enforcement, revoking benefits for draft evaders, and the IDF's efforts in recruitment, outreach, and establishing dedicated service tracks. Strengthening the motivation of those who choose to enlist and serve in reserve duty is also crucial.
An additional update will focus on the enforcement efforts by military and police against draft evaders and deserters, given the revealed gaps and the cancellation of planned enforcement operations in recent months. The 'Israel Hofshit' (Free Israel) movement, representing petitioners, stated that the government has sided with draft evaders over those who serve. They accused the government of delaying and obstructing enforcement measures against the over 100,000 young Israelis who have chosen to evade service, leaving their peers to bear the burden alone.
