Ultra-Orthodox Deserters in Military Prison Reach Peak Amid Shift in IDF Arrest Policy
The number of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders detained in military prison has peaked at around 70, mostly arrested at border crossings as proactive neighborhood raids cease amid security and police constraints.
The number of ultra-Orthodox military deserters held at the Beit Lid military prison has reached a peak of approximately 70 detainees. However, this figure is expected to decrease in the near future.
Arrests at Border Crossings and Suspension of Raids
Nearly all of the current detainees were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport or other border crossings upon returning from abroad, including from the pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman, Ukraine, where tens of thousands of Hasidim gather for Rosh Hashanah. Meanwhile, proactive arrest operations within ultra-Orthodox population centers have almost entirely ceased over recent months, resulting in a notable drop in violent protests and road blockages.
The High Court of Justice previously instructed the IDF to enforce military conscription equitably. However, military officials attribute the suspension of proactive raids partly to the Israel Police, which the army claims cannot allocate sufficient personnel to secure the operations. In a recent update submitted to the High Court by the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara alongside security branches, authorities outlined the heavy operational costs and widespread public disorder associated with executing draft evasion arrests in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods.
"The military and police authorities emphasized the significant difficulty in carrying out proactive operations and arresting ultra-Orthodox draft evaders at this time, under the shadow of large-scale public disturbances," the state response noted.
Guidance Documents and Psychological Exemptions
Amid these developments, the "Am Kadosh" organization, which supports ultra-Orthodox detainees, recently distributed a conduct manual inside the prison. The document frames detainees not as criminals, but as individuals defending their faith, comparing their imprisonment to historical figures like Rabbi Akiva. The guide instructs inmates on religious rights, skepticism regarding military kitchen Kashrut, and outlines protocols for interacting with fellow prisoners.
Concurrently, the IDF has detected a surge in ultra-Orthodox draft candidates seeking military service exemptions on mental health grounds. Military intelligence and medical corps indicate that numerous psychiatrists have signed standardized exemption recommendations submitted via legal counsel rather than through direct military channels. The IDF has approached the Ministry of Health and the Israel Police to investigate potential irregularities in psychiatric evaluations.
