Democrats Chair Yair Golan Rejects Immediate Full Haredi Draft, Calls It Populism

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party, sparked political controversy by stating that a full draft of Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews into the Israeli military is not feasible "overnight." Speaking at a recent panel at the Molad Institute, Golan criticized the public discourse on Haredi conscription as a victim of cheap populism and argued that the military is neither capable nor willing to absorb large numbers of Haredi recruits without proper preparation.

Golan emphasized that even if a law mandating full Haredi conscription were passed immediately, it would be impractical and undesirable to draft all Haredim at once due to logistical challenges, including the need for gender-segregated conditions and the recruits' varying levels of education, motivation, and physical ability. He described the conscription of Haredim, Arabs, and Haredi women as gradual processes requiring time.

He proposed a broader vision for equal national service, suggesting that young Israelis contribute a "year of service" not only through the military but also via organizations such as Magen David Adom, firefighting, police, prison service, or hospitals. Golan noted that as recruitment cohorts grow annually, the military cannot expand proportionally, making alternative service frameworks necessary.

Golan's remarks provoked sharp criticism from right-wing figures, who accused left-wing and certain media outlets of using the "equal burden" campaign as a political tool to weaken the religious bloc and topple the right-wing government, rather than addressing genuine military needs.