Conscription

Bereaved families and reservists launched the Zionist Conscription Charter on Tuesday, demanding the next government commit to equal IDF recruitment amid severe manpower shortages.

Severe traffic congestion gripped central Israel and routes to Jerusalem as ultra-Orthodox protesters gathered following the resumption of military draft arrests by the IDF.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri conditioned joining any future coalition on regulating yeshiva students' draft exemptions, drawing fierce condemnation from opposition leader Naftali Bennett amid rising tensions.

A welcoming event in Bnei Brak for released ultra-Orthodox military deserters, organized by the new party Tzeva Shachor, has sparked political turmoil, street violence, and sharp divisions among traditional factions.

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.

Yonatan Karlinsky, an Israeli citizen and Breslov Hasid, was detained in Ukraine due to conscription laws and will serve as a military doctor near Kharkiv with Chabad support.

Secular tourism in Bnei Brak drops by nearly half amid military service tensions and societal friction, though culinary and cultural tours continue on modified routes.

After years of barriers, the IDF has carried out a revolution for the Ultra-Orthodox recruit. Dedicated and diverse tracks have been opened and adapted so that recruits do not have to compromise on their identity. The goal is to enlist thousands of young people from this sector every year.

A number of anti-Zionist Admorim met with the US President at the White House. At the last minute, through the intervention of officials in the house of Rabbi Dov Lando, the delivery of a letter demanding intervention in the conscription issue was prevented. The White House described the event as a meeting for Rosh Hashanah.

'The army does not want Haredi soldiers,' claimed the Shas chairman, dismissing previous integration efforts as a 'charade.' He also spoke out against the state-Haredi education system, calling it a 'real struggle.' Political leaders criticized his remarks as encouraging draft evasion.

“The army doesn't want Haredi soldiers, it gives it a big headache,” claimed the Shas chairman. According to him, “The IDF wants a secular army. All these years it was an eye-wash.” Regarding the Hashmonaim Brigade, intended to allow Haredi soldiers to maintain their lifestyle, he said: “I haven't checked that.”

The MK from Degel HaTorah claimed at the "Time for Decision: Democracy and Society" conference held by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth in collaboration with the Israel Democracy Institute that United Torah Judaism is also targeting Haredim who have enlisted in the IDF, and addressed the exemption law that did not pass: "Faith cannot be suppressed by force, it is a mistake to take the country to a rift."...

About 50,000 out of 60,217 draft dodgers are Haredim. The number of candidates for security service declared as draft dodgers or issued 'Order 12' has increased by about 95,000 since the end of 2024. At the same time, the IDF is expanding service tracks and adaptations for the Haredi public, whose recruitment rate has risen.

Against the backdrop of the issue of drafting yeshiva students and the arrests of young men who did not report for service in the IDF, the Haredi sector is promoting a new initiative designed to provide financial support to yeshiva students who will be arrested due to their non-enlistment.

The US President is expected to host a series of prominent Haredi leaders at the White House, including representatives of the Satmar Hasidic dynasty. The parties are expected to discuss issues regarding the independence of religious education and freedom of religion.

Haredi protesters, who arrived at the recruitment center in Tel HaShomer to demonstrate against the Haredi recruitment taking place today, blocked a military police vehicle. The protesters sat on the road, preventing the vehicle and the soldiers inside from continuing their journey.

Avigdor Lieberman arrived at the recruitment center to support the recruits and sent a firm message against draft dodgers. At the same time, the IDF presented the range of units, from combat to technology, to which the new recruits are assigned.

The Supreme Court froze the law exempting Haredim from arrest, but in the last month, proactive efforts to locate young men required for conscription have been significantly reduced. 40 Haredi deserters are in military prison, more than half of them identified while trying to board flights to Europe. The IDF blames the police, who in turn claim they are following the existing procedure.

Expecting a large-scale recruitment, the Haredi brigade prepared to open two companies and assembled double command teams. However, data reaching the IDF indicated only about 100 recruits, leading to the decision to open only one company.

Following the announcement of its run for the Knesset, the party launched a campaign across Haredi population centers, focusing on criticism of the Haredi leadership and a call for enlistment and the study of mathematics and English.

Behind the scenes of the Haredi world, the possibility of translating the opposition to the conscription of yeshiva students into a new electoral force is being examined. However, senior official Moti Babchik has already publicly clarified that Gur does not intend to give up its leadership within Agudat Yisrael.

The Shas party has launched an election campaign presenting a family idyll around the Shabbat table between a yeshiva student and his soldier brother, aiming to appeal to the traditional public. However, a review of the statements by the party's spiritual leadership over the last two years, calling on draft-age youth to tear up draft orders and flush them down the toilet, and forbidding enlistment...

In its first election video, the party presents a family consisting of a soldier and a yeshiva student, in an attempt to appeal to the traditional audience. The presentation of a united front draws criticism due to Shas's central role in promoting the draft exemption, and after it threatened to bring down the government against the backdrop of the crisis.

A Ynet and "Yedioth Ahronoth" poll reveals: about 70% of reservists say they will decide their vote based on the conscription issue, and the Likud is currently losing about two-thirds of its supporters in the serving sector. At the same time, in an open and pointed conversation, ten representatives of reserve organizations from the right and left agreed on almost everything - and sent a clear...

After a long period during which tensions between Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and the IDF over the issue of Haredi conscription repeatedly made headlines, the Shas party managed to lower the flames today. The former Chief Rabbi published a particularly conciliatory message toward IDF soldiers, blessed them, and defined them as "messengers of the Almighty to protect the people of Israel."

An analysis by the Ministry of Finance, presented during discussions on the conscription of yeshiva students, reveals vast disparities in state subsidy eligibility among Israeli citizens. The ministry recommends canceling after-school program subsidies for Haredi draft dodgers starting in the upcoming school year.

Approximately 82,000 young ultra-Orthodox men have been declared draft dodgers or are in the final stages of that process. They account for 81% of all individuals currently evading military service.

The Attorney General has called for an expansion of economic and personal sanctions against ultra-Orthodox individuals liable for military service. The directive follows a high-level meeting with representatives from the IDF, defense, finance, and justice ministries.

Ultra-Orthodox protesters, demonstrating against the arrest of a draft dodger, blocked Highway 4 and caused massive traffic jams. They distributed yellow stars with the word 'Haredi' and compared military service to death in Nazi extermination camps, drawing sharp condemnation from the political establishment.

Behad party chairman Naftali Bennett toughened his stance today, Wednesday, regarding Haredi conscription, citing comments by Yoram Cohen of Gadi Eisenkot's party. Bennett clarified that he would not accept any frameworks that include broad exemptions from service.

Liam Aaron Gamzo continues the path of his brother, Staff Sergeant Ilay Gamzo, who fell in battle. His parents signed for his service in the infantry after he requested, 'Do not stop my life.' Among the new recruits to the brigade is also a lone soldier who immigrated specifically from Australia. 'Welcome to the IDF' series of reports.

Entrepreneur Yoely Landau, whose fortune is estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, is establishing a fund to fight against the conscription of yeshiva students. The organization will provide legal funding for those who refuse to enlist and will utilize international legal tools.

Mandatory service has been extended from 4 to 11 months, women have entered the mandatory draft system for the first time, and the army will increase the number of recruits by about 50% by 2033. Princess Isabella has also reported for duty, and soon conscripts will be sent to Greenland for the first time against the backdrop of the threat from Russia and tensions with Trump.

This morning, with the start of the August 2026 draft, I was privileged once again to be alongside hundreds of recruits and their families on their way to the induction center. A few moments before they board the bus, a moment before they put on the IDF uniform for the first time and recite the "Shehecheyanu" blessing, a scene unfolds that is hard to remain indifferent to.

During a panel discussion at the Molad Institute, Democrats party chairman Yair Golan criticized the public discourse surrounding the ultra-Orthodox draft. He labeled the topic a victim of "cheap populism" and emphasized that the IDF is not prepared to accommodate thousands of recruits requiring special conditions such as gender-segregated training and intensive guidance.

The IDF recruited 4,300 Haredim in 2025, a record 53% increase. While significant, this figure represents only a small fraction of the 72,000 draft evaders, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

Ahead of the 2026 elections, the "Election Arena" segment hosted a heated debate between MK Michael Malkieli (Shas) and MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu). The discussion covered IDF conscription, the cost of living, and security failures.

A stormy confrontation took place in Rafi Reshef's studio between the host and Rabbi Motke Blau, a leader of the ultra-Orthodox anti-conscription protest. They discussed reports regarding Benjamin Netanyahu's private remarks on drafting ultra-Orthodox individuals. Blau stated: "We have no trust in Netanyahu; we will not join any coalition without a law regulating the status of Torah students."

The Navy induction day took place at the Tel HaShomer center. Young recruits prepare to trade civilian life for naval service, demonstrating high motivation and commitment to their values.

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters marched in Jerusalem in support of 63 individuals arrested following riots at the home of Supreme Court Judge Noam Sohlberg. Three IDF soldiers from the 'Netzah Yehuda' battalion were attacked by the crowd during the event.

The Ministry of Transport clarified that the permit granted to the Minister of Construction to operate a flashing light applies only while performing official duties. The clarification follows Goldknopf leading an ultra-Orthodox protest convoy against the draft on Highway 1 using emergency lights.

As Haredi parties are in conflict with each other and the Prime Minister, and the Haredi public is dissatisfied with the handling of the conscription issue, some are trying to exploit the crisis. In Jerusalem, a party called 'HaKahal' was launched yesterday with a different goal - to create a list composed by registered members, not by spiritual leaders. Women - currently still out.

Rav-Aluf Zamir clarified that the integration of Haredim into the IDF is essential for the security of the country and the entire people of Israel. "One of the lessons we learned from October 7 is that the IDF must grow," he explained. The Chief of General Staff clarified that alongside the urgent need, the army's goal is to allow Haredim to serve in the IDF while maintaining their lifestyle.

Even more than estimates: details obtained by ynet show that in the last year at least 4,000 ultra-Orthodox have been drafted, including 1,000 for combat roles, compared with 2,800 the year before and lower figures in previous years. But in the draft age group there are about 14,000 ultra-Orthodox with recruitment potential. The reasons for the increase and the optimism in the army come on the day...

It has come to the attention of "Hayom" that on the last recruitment day, which took place about a week and a half ago, 230 ultra-Orthodox individuals were recruited into designated IDF tracks. Rabbi Yaakov Farber, one of the founders of the "Maalot Tzur" track, worked for years to promote the integration of the ultra-Orthodox into the IDF.