IDF warns ultra-Orthodox men of potential arrests for draft-dodging

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Many young ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, also known Haredim, received calls on Wednesday warning them that those who do not comply with the mandatory draft orders may face arrest. This is reportedly the first time the IDF has directly issued such warnings to the religious community.

Ynet News reported the testimony of several Haredim who received such calls and stated that those who do not comply after a third warning would face “potential economic sanctions, arrests, and travel restrictions.”

“I was contacted by the Haredi administration, and they informed me of two orders I had missed,” one man said. “I told them that, just as they have a commander who instructs them, my commander is the rabbi, and he advised me not to enlist. They insisted I report within 48 hours or face an arrest warrant.”

Another Haredi man, who received a similar phone call, said that “the ultra-Orthodox members of the Knesset are not assisting us, nor is the Yeshiva Committee providing any answers.”

Eligible ultra-Orthodox men had been exempt from Israel’s military draft since the country's founding, but this changed in June following a ruling by Israel’s Supreme Court.

One thousand draft orders were sent out to military-aged Haredi men in July, however, less than 10% of them reportedly complied with the orders.

Many ultra-Orthodox rabbis are calling on young Haredi men to decline enlistment and instead continue their studies of the Torah and Talmud in yeshivas.

“Judicial authorities have declared war against the Torah world and are forcing the army to issue draft orders to yeshiva students,” Rabbi Dov Landau said. “We publicly declare that under no circumstances should anyone report to the recruitment offices, and we stand with these yeshiva students and their families during this trial. We are with you, heroes of valor.”

Haredi Jews have often come into conflict with the Israeli government authorities, as many in the ultra-Orthodox community do not consider themselves Zionists, and object to the secular nature of the modern State of Israel.

Earlier this week, Israeli policemen were filmed beating Haredi men who were protesting the integration of Haredim into the Israeli workforce.

The police later stated that the conduct of these officers “does not align with what is expected of them as police officers and with the values of the Israel Police,” and that “the involved officers and commanders will be removed from operational duties until administrative measures are considered regarding them.”

Only about half of Haredi men in Israel are employed, with many devoting themselves to full-time religious study, made possible, in part, by state funding.