Attorney General Demands Expanded Enforcement Against Ultra-Orthodox Conscription Evaders

The Attorney General demands to expand enforcement measures against ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for conscription, with an emphasis on economic and personal measures. These points emerge from the summary of a discussion held under the chairmanship of the Attorney General and attended by representatives of the IDF, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Israel Police, the Population and Immigration Authority, the Digital Array, and other officials.

The discussion focused on enforcing the conscription obligation during the past recruitment year and implementing Supreme Court rulings on the matter. The summary noted that alongside the increase in the number of recruits from the ultra-Orthodox public, the scope of ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for conscription who do not enlist remains extensive, and that members of the ultra-Orthodox public constitute about 80% of all those who do not enlist.

According to the professionals who participated in the discussion, issuing draft orders to all ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for conscription, alongside increasing economic-personal enforcement and adapting service tracks, have proven effective and contributed to the increase in the number of recruits.

However, from the Attorney General's perspective, this is not enough. In the summary forwarded to the government, it was determined that in order to increase the number of recruits and provide a response to the security need for expanding the army, the package of economic and personal enforcement measures against ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for conscription must be expanded as soon as possible.

Alongside the economic measures, the Attorney General also demands the return of proactive enforcement in the field. According to the summary, the IDF and the police must return to conducting proactive operations and arrests against those liable for conscription from all parts of the population, in accordance with the principle of equality. The demand comes against the backdrop of the position of professionals that such proactive activity is important for increasing enforcement.

The summary of the discussion also determined that the IDF and the police must provide an update on the structured enforcement plan by August 30. At the same time, the authorities are required to examine the continuation of enforcement at border crossings and the expansion of civil-economic enforcement against those liable for conscription who have not regularized their status.

Thus, alongside the data on the increase in ultra-Orthodox recruitment, the Attorney General seeks to expand enforcement measures against ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for conscription: additional economic and personal measures, a return to proactive operations and arrests, and the continued operation of other enforcement mechanisms.