Israeli Attorney General Demands Increased Enforcement Against Draft Dodgers Amid Police Reluctance

The Israeli Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, has called for intensified enforcement and proactive arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers to address the ongoing issue of military draft evasion. In a statement released on August 20, 2026, she emphasized the urgent need to expand personal economic enforcement measures and urged both the military and police to resume proactive operations against draft evaders from all sectors of the population.

Despite this clear directive, both the Israel Police and the military appear reluctant to fully implement these measures. The police have distanced themselves from responsibility, stating that enforcement is primarily the duty of the military police and referring all related inquiries to them. This marks a significant step back by the police, who now see their role mainly as providing support rather than actively locating and arresting draft dodgers.

A military source familiar with the situation revealed that efforts to avoid high-tension confrontations have been ongoing, with arrests occurring sporadically at key locations such as government offices and Ben Gurion Airport. However, focused enforcement operations are currently not planned, and the police are not involved in these actions.

The Attorney General's call comes amid data showing that approximately 80% of all draft evaders are from the ultra-Orthodox community. While there has been an increase in enlistment numbers among this group, with 4,298 ultra-Orthodox recruits in 2025 compared to 2,811 the previous year, evasion remains widespread. Officials noted that issuing draft orders to all eligible ultra-Orthodox individuals, enhanced economic enforcement, and tailored service tracks have contributed to the rise in enlistment.

The police responded to the report by affirming that there has been no change in the police chief's directives and that they will assist the military as needed. Meanwhile, the military plans to increase arrests later in the year through coordinated proactive operations with police, although these have yet to materialize.

This situation highlights a gap between the Attorney General's enforcement demands and the current operational stance of Israel's security forces, leaving thousands of draft evaders largely unaddressed at present.