Israeli draft

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has a duty to warn the government about draft evasion - editorial

Active-duty generals, as a rule, should stay out of politics, but every rule has its exception.

Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, arrives to attend a wreath laying ceremony at Warsaw Ghetto Square at Yad Vashem on April 14, 2026 in Jerusalem, Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Knesset vote on a bill to freeze arrests of haredi draft evaders, in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026

Knesset votes to freeze arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders amid IDF manpower crisis

A haredi (ultra-Orthodox) protester argues with a police officer outside the Jerusalem IDF recruitment center, April 12, 2026.

Almost half of Israelis support tougher sanctions, pressure to promote haredi conscription - poll

An Israeli soldier guard as young men gathered during a demonstration by Ultra-Orthodox Jews against Israel's military draft on June 17, 2026 outside the Beit Lid military base in Kfar Yona, Israel. The conscription of young ultra-Orthodox men into the military, from which they were long exempt.

Likud MK Kallner opposes criminal arrests for haredi draft evaders, backs economic sanctions


September 17, 2017: Torah and the draft

Reuven Hammer makes it clear that Jewish law not only fails to exempt Torah students from serving in a national Jewish army, but clearly makes it mandatory.

Letters

Comment: Employment springboard- how haredi men benefit from IDF service

It is true that the Israeli army is not meeting its induction goals.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews attend a protest against a law calling for members of their community to serve in the army, in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighbourhood December 22, 2015.

Canadian immigrant outside IDF enlistment center demands to serve

31-year-old Lionel Kalles has been told his Hebrew is too weak to join the army.

31 year old Lionel Kalles is standing outside the IDF induction center in Ramat Gan with a sign calling on the army to let him serve.

Haredi MKs to support sanctions against anti-conscription incitement

The incitement campaign has been led by the Jerusalem Faction,a group that has virulently and oftentimes violently opposed any haredi conscription to the IDF whatsoever.

United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni

Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York protest IDF draft law

Anti-Zionist Satmar Hasidic group joins Israeli Orthodox in campaign against Orthodox conscription into the IDF.

Orthodox anti-draft rally Barclays Center

Drastic fall in haredim serving in civilian service

The severe shortfall in the numbers of haredi men enlisting to the civilian service is likely due to the fact that some 30,000 haredi men aged 22 to 26 were given an immediate exemption.

Haredi students in classroom

IDF considering integrating more haredi companies into regular battalions, deputy minister says

"If they can be the ambassadors in haredi society and say that its worthwhile and that the army is accommodating then this will increase the draft [from the haredi community]."

Deputy Defense Minister and Bayit Yehudi MK Eli Ben-Dahan visiting the Givati Brigade's Tomer Company in the Shomron

IDF to begin allowing HIV-positive soldiers

The announcement was made in honor of World AIDS Day.

The Givati Brigade completed a training exercise to prepare the soldiers for combat in the northern region

Yesh Atid file High Court petition against annulment of obligatory military service for haredi men

Lapid says Netanyahu, Bennett, Ya'alon show they have "no values" by supporting amendment to haredi draft bill.

Yair Lapid

Radical haredi faction promises to ‘ignite the streets' in protest at amendment to enlistment law

Rabbinic leader of Jerusalem Faction says amendment would 'restrict and limit the fulfillment of the Torah, God forbid, through targets and similar things and with various blandishments."

Haredi soldier