Israeli military command issues 1,126 arrest warrants for Haredim men

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
20 Nov 2024 04:56

The vast majority of Haredim settlers called up for service did not show up to call up center, complicating the search for new military recruits

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Israeli police officers disperse Ultra-Orthodox Jewish settlers blocking a road during a protest against military recruitment, in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, on November 17, 2024. (AP)

The Israeli military command has issued 1,126 arrest warrants for Israeli ultra-Orthodox settlers (Haredim) after these individuals did not show up to military service induction centers.

Israeli occupation forces have attempted to draft settlers from the ultra-Orthodox community for months, however, the vast majority of those called up have jilted service. The community argues that service in the military would clash with their religious beliefs and have consistently avoided call ups fearing "secularization".

Due to the losses incurred in the Israeli multi-front wars on Gaza and Lebanon, it has become imperative that the military drafts individuals from the community to make up for the shortage in human resources.

"Of the 3,000 ultra-Orthodox who received [draft] orders, 1,126 were issued arrest warrants for those who did not report to the first and second orders," Brigadier General Shay Taib, head of the Personnel Directorate’s Planning and Personnel Management Division in the IOF, said at a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee meeting.

“After that, they will receive a call for immediate recruitment, and anyone who does not come [to the induction center] will be declared an evader,” he explained.

This issue has not only caused problems with Haredim but has translated into the Israeli government, where far-right ministers have threatened to break up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. It is worth noting that draft laws were also among the leading reasons for the sacking of Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant earlier.

Taib said that the regime's Military Police carry out arrests for settlers who do not show up to induction centers, but will wait until they are officially declared draft evaders and leave the matter up to Israeli Police.

Current Security Minister Israel Katz has only issued 1,000 out of 7,000 requested draft orders to males from the ultra-Orthodox community. In a previous round, less than 10% of 3,000 called up for service showed up at induction centers, according to Israeli media outlets.

Further complicating the situation, the Israeli military command says that it needs an additional 10,000 soldiers to carry out its operations, yet it can only accommodate 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men, due to their "additional needs."