Israeli Police Chief Meets IDF Chief Amid Uncertainty Over Draft Dodger Arrests

Israel Police Commissioner Major General Danni Levi met this week with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir to discuss enhancing cooperation between the police and military in light of ongoing security and operational challenges facing the country. The meeting took place shortly after the police publicly stated that responsibility for arresting draft dodgers now lies with the IDF.

This development follows a recent High Court of Justice (HCJ) injunction freezing a new law that would have prevented the arrest of draft dodgers until a larger court panel reviews the issue. Levi declared that in cases of conflict between government decisions and HCJ rulings, he would comply with the court's judgment, placing the police under immediate legal scrutiny.

When asked by the news outlet C14 whether the police would continue arresting draft dodgers despite the HCJ's interim order, the police refrained from a direct answer and instead shifted responsibility to the IDF. The meeting between Levi and Zamir occurred while the question of which authority is responsible for these arrests remains unresolved.

The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen collaboration between the police and military, but it remains unclear if this will lead to the resumption of draft dodger arrests despite the new law and ongoing legal challenges.