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
Pope Leo XIV: Peacemakers do not flee, but dare to stay even if it costs them some sacrifice.
The Pope to the Lebanese: You are a diverse country and a community made up of communities united by one language, the language of hope, which has allowed you to start anew.
Pope Leo XIV to the Lebanese: You are a people who do not give up, but a people who persevere in the face of difficulties and know how to be reborn.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli occupation targets bulldozer working to remove rubble of destroyed home in Shebaa.
IRGC sources tell Al Mayadeen that reports of Iranian missile strikes on northern Iraq are false, calling them rumors spread by enemy-linked media.
Trump: Venezuela airspace should be considered 'closed in its entirety'
AFP: Ukraine behind attack on Russian 'shadow fleet' tankers in Black Sea
Sheikh Qassem: We, our allies, the honorable in our nation, our people, and our army will never accept being subservient to the US or 'Israel'
Sheikh Qassem: They must despair, for whatever they do, this people cannot be defeated or broken, and we shall neither fall nor yield
Sheikh Qassem: Threats neither advance nor delay matters, yet the possibility of war or its absence exists because 'Israel' and the US are weighing their options

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.

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

13 elite Israeli troops were wounded in a confrontations in Beit Jinn, Syria.

13 elite Israeli troops wounded in confrontations in southern Syria

  • West Asia
  • 28 Nov 2025
Hezbollah releases the names of the four martyred with Tabatabai

Hezbollah releases the names of the 4 martyred alongside Tabatabai

  • West Asia
  • 24 Nov 2025
Point-blank killings: 'Israel' executes 2 Palestinian youths in Jenin

Graphic footage: IOF execute 2 Palestinians from point blank in Jenin

  • Politics
  • 27 Nov 2025
Four killed, ten wounded in targeted California shooting in Stockton

Four killed, 10 wounded in 'targeted' California shooting

  • US & Canada
  • 30 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Yemen protests
West Asia

Yemenis mark Independence Day, renew support for Palestine, Lebanon

Netanyahu speaks during a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, at the Prime Minister's Office in occupied al-Quds, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Pardon for power: Netanyahu to retreat on reform if given immunity

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, right, and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan arrive for a joint news briefing after their meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Iran, Turkiye share strategic interests despite differences: Araghchi

In this file photo dated Wednesday, March 21, 2018, a youth holds a flag with the image of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in Istanbul, Turkey (AP)
Politics

PKK calls on Turkey to release Ocalan to advance peace process

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