Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli occupation forces issue a new bombing threat against civilian buildings in the Southern Lebanese towns of Borj Qalaouiye and Chehabiyeh.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Extending the snapback mechanism deadline will test how independent Europeans truly are from the US.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Activating the snapback mechanism will nullify the Cairo Agreement, shut the door on cooperation between the IAEA and Tehran, and bar inspections.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: The diplomatic window remains open, but signs of activating the snapback sanctions mechanism on Iran are increasing.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Although the Cairo Agreement meets an important part of European demands, they have begun speaking of new conditions in recent communications.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: European countries show no independence in their stance toward Iran during the talks.
Israeli occupation forces issued bombing threats to bomb civilian buildings in Southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Person behind shooting operation at Allenby Crossing is a Jordanian Army soldier.
Israeli media citing Emergency Services: Both wounded in Allenby shooting operation now dead.
Israeli media: One soldier wounded at Allenby crossing now confirmed killed.

Haredi Jews may be force-recruited into Israeli occupation forces

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Israeli Media
  • 23 Feb 2022 14:44
3 Min Read

Out of 50,000 Ultra-Orthodox young adults who are eligible to join the Israeli occupation forces - only 1,200 are signed up.

  • x
  • A Haredi Jew. (The Guardian)
    A Haredi Jew. (The Guardian)

The more religious slice of Israeli society rejects recruitment into the Israeli army, which may opt for a chaotic recruitment-by-force situation from the authorities. As this issue reflects a grueling domestic conflict from within, the Knesset looks to attract Haredi Jews by services and material means.

It is estimated that there are about 50,000 Haredi orthodox young adults in occupied Palestine who are eligible for military recruitment in the Israeli occupation forces (IOF). However, only 1,200 are signed up, as of 2019 statistics.

As per Israeli policy, the population is forced into military conscription, meaning they must serve in the occupation army - or else will serve time in jail. However, the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community typically does not, and has always criticized the policy. Attempts to integrate them into the IOF, several times, has ended in failure.

The Israeli government, though, has been trying to change that.

Three weeks ago, the Knesset passed a bill -- needing two more readings -- that would integrate more Ultra-Orthodox men in the military.

A Haredi journalist, Yanki Farber, suggests that if the bill comes into effect, it will be met with anger and opposition.

Related News

Israeli military to arrest draft evaders during September holidays

IOF spox tells AIPAC: 'The scenes out of Gaza will be hard to stomach'

He said, "Every Orthodox mother is afraid that her child, who enrolls in the [IOF], will come out not as religious. It happened in my family too, when I decided to enlist and people were shocked at the sight of me wearing a uniform."

"Forcing Haredis will not work, and if the [IOF] really wants these 50,000 boys, it will need to think how to integrate them into the service", he added.

The Israeli government has financed millions of dollars into trying to make this integration work, creating special units of Haredi soldiers, trying to attract them by providing services. However, the IOF has been too financially focused on dragging Haredis into its ranks and bombing Palestinians, that they neglected the most basic living standards.

See this: Israeli occupation army does not feed its soldiers

 

Haredi Jews have demands that the IOF cannot apply: Restrictions regarding being in contact with women soldiers, praying 3 times a day, a Jewish-friendly kitchen, not working on Sabbath and more. 

As a result, neither the Haredi Jews wished to enroll, nor did the IOF really need them. 

However, Israeli politicians are still on the run, looking for a solution. Ferber contends that the Israeli authorities will not hold back to use force and violence to get the Haredis into the occupation forces.

"There is a chance that the government will condition investments in religious educational institutions on military service. But I can tell you, this trick will not work. The Haredis don't care about money that much anyways. People from the community will not sell their souls, and if they need to choose between a buck or a yeshiva [religious school], they will choose the latter", Farber stated.
 
A number of religious parties pledged their commitment to opposing the bill, entailing that mutiny may be on the table if the government were to force the recruitment of the religious slice of society.

  • Israeli Occupation Army
  • Haredi jews
  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • Ultra-orthodox Jews

Most Read

Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS