IDF Reports 82,000 Ultra-Orthodox Youths as Draft Dodgers or Near Dodging Status

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that 82,000 ultra-Orthodox young men are either officially classified as draft dodgers (50,000) or are in advanced stages of such classification (32,000 under a 'Tzav 12' order). These individuals represent 81% of all draft dodgers or those undergoing the Tzav 12 process, placing them at risk of arrest if encountered by police. This data was presented during the 15th monitoring session on the implementation of the Supreme Court ruling regarding yeshiva students' conscription, held recently with the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

The IDF also reported a 53% increase in ultra-Orthodox enlistments for the 2025 recruitment year, reaching 4,300 recruits. In the past year, 679 ultra-Orthodox conscripts faced disciplinary proceedings, but only 34 were criminally charged in military courts. At border crossings over the last three months, 1,061 draft dodgers and deserters were delayed; however, only 18 were arrested and 265 prevented from leaving Israel. Attorney General Baharav-Miara emphasized the need to improve the efficiency of arrests at border crossings and requested a detailed report on the criteria for releasing detainees.

Budget Department representative Rom Bar-Av urged immediate action to cancel subsidies for draft dodgers in the Nitzanim after-school programs, noting the challenge that these benefits are granted to communities based on socioeconomic clusters rather than individuals. Existing sanctions include cancellation of daycare and national insurance discounts and exclusion from the "Discounted Apartment" program. The digital draft dodger interface has been activated, allowing government ministries to access IDF data on draft dodgers and impose sanctions without requiring individual reports, as reported by the government digital system representative during the session.