Israeli Government to Cancel Discounts for Draft Dodgers in Education Programs Starting 2026
The Israeli Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, informed the Supreme Court that the Ministry of Education will begin revoking discounts for draft dodgers in after-school programs starting in the 2026/27 school year. However, she noted that Transportation Minister Miri Regev is delaying the cancellation of public transport discounts for these individuals, and the government has refrained from transferring municipal tax authority to the Prime Minister, which would enable the cancellation of tax discounts for draft dodgers.
Baharav-Miara emphasized that draft evasion among the general public is very limited, with about 92,000 individuals classified as draft dodgers or in the process of being declared so, approximately 80% of whom are from the ultra-Orthodox community. Since 2024, 80,000 enlistment orders were issued to ultra-Orthodox candidates, with 8,000 reporting for service and 2,900 enlisted.
Following a November 2025 Supreme Court ruling demanding effective and proportionate enforcement measures against draft dodgers, the government has been slow to act, prompting petitions for contempt of court. In response, the Attorney General acknowledged the government's failure to implement economic sanctions against draft dodgers, which harms military needs and equality in service burden.
The update also detailed recent enforcement actions: the Israel Land Authority barred draft dodgers from discounted housing lotteries, and the Ministry of Labor plans to expand the revocation of discounts in daycare and after-school programs, particularly in ultra-Orthodox areas served by the Ministry of Education's after-school centers. From early 2026 to mid-June, 294 indictments were filed against draft dodgers in military courts, with 11% from the ultra-Orthodox sector. Additionally, 1,136 draft dodgers faced disciplinary hearings, 37% of whom were ultra-Orthodox.
The Attorney General agreed not to apply discount revocations during summer vacation due to time constraints, signaling ongoing challenges in fully implementing the court's directives.
