Israel's Attorney General Criticizes Draft Evasion Efforts, Urges Sanctions
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Israel's Attorney General has criticized the government's efforts to combat draft evasion, telling the High Court of Justice that the state is not doing enough and urging the imposition of economic sanctions. Approximately 110,000 individuals, many from the Haredi community, are currently evading military service. Despite a recent increase in Haredi enlistments, the numbers remain insufficient to meet the army's needs. The Attorney General is seeking court intervention to implement measures like reduced public transport and tax benefits for draft evaders.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's Attorney General urged the High Court to impose economic sanctions on draft evaders.
- Around 110,000 individuals, many Haredi, are currently evading military service.
- Cooperation between the IDF and police on enforcement operations has faced significant difficulties.
- The Attorney General stated the state is "far from" acting with its full capacity against evasion.
- Proposed sanctions include reduced public transport and tax benefits for evaders.
- Haredi enlistments rose 65% but remain insufficient for army needs.
Israel's Attorney General has sharply criticized the state's handling of military draft evasion, urging the High Court of Justice to impose further economic sanctions on those who avoid conscription. In an update submitted to the court on Wednesday, the Attorney General's office stated that the country is "far from" acting with its full capacity to combat draft evasion.
The report reveals a significant challenge, with approximately 110,000 individuals designated for enlistment or having received call-up orders as of September 2026, a large portion of whom are from the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community. Cooperation between the military and police has reportedly faced substantial difficulties, leading to the postponement of a joint enforcement operation planned for October. The police requested hundreds of soldiers for arrests, a demand the IDF deemed "unfeasible and inconsistent with the division of responsibilities."
Deputy Attorney General Dr. Gila Limon emphasized that the lack of proactive enforcement is "incompatible with security needs, the value of equality, and the state's obligations in legal proceedings." The update also noted that around 192 draft evaders were released by police with only a warning during random field checks.
Despite these challenges, the state's report indicated an increase in Haredi enlistments, with 4,298 joining in the 2025 recruitment year, a 65% rise from the previous year. However, the report stressed that this increase is still insufficient to meet the army's current needs and the principle of equality. Out of nearly 80,000 call-up notices sent to the relevant Haredi cohort in the 2024-2025 recruitment years, about 48,200 were declared draft evaders, with another 18,900 holding a 'call-up order' status.
Given the government's failure to develop a civilian-economic enforcement policy as previously ordered, the Attorney General is asking the High Court to intervene and issue economic enforcement orders. Proposed measures include reducing public transportation and Arnona (municipal property tax) discounts, denying subsidies for educational programs like "Nitzanim," and conditioning eligibility for subsidized mortgages. Additionally, tax benefits for religious institutions could be made contingent on their students' conscription status.
The state representatives clarified that these measures are intended as economic incentives to encourage enlistment, not criminal penalties. They proposed setting a near-term date for another update focused on field enforcement efforts.
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