Israeli military to arrest draft evaders during September holidays
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The Israeli military is preparing a large-scale arrest campaign targeting Haredi draft evaders at Ben Gurion Airport.
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Travelers arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, a day after the announcement of a ceasefire between "Israel" and Iran, near Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 (AP)
The Israeli military is planning a major arrest operation targeting draft dodgers, timed to coincide with the travel of tens of thousands of pilgrims to the Ukrainian city of Uman for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah holidays, Israeli Channel 12 reported.
More than 40,000 pilgrim settlers are expected to depart from "Israel" for Uman, according to the report, a significant number of whom are Haredi young men for whom arrest warrants have been issued due to their failure to enlist for military service.
The military is preparing to deploy large numbers of military police at Ben Gurion Airport to arrest draft dodgers as they attempt to leave, according to the report. Under the announced procedures, those who have evaded service for up to 540 days will be sent to the Bakum induction base to begin military processing, while anyone who has evaded for more than 540 days will be sent directly to prison.
Furthermore, the Israeli military intends to arrest Haredim who are arriving from abroad into the occupied territories for the holidays, as it is estimated that some of them have been evading conscription for months or even years.
The channel also clarified that concerns over these arrests have led some Haredim to consider canceling their flights, in anticipation of the widespread crackdown that is planned.
'Israel' cracks down on Haredis who refuse service
It is worth noting that past years have seen repeated attempts to enforce mandatory military service on the Haredim, attempts which have been met with widespread protest waves and political opposition from their parties, which are often part of the governing coalitions.
In a statement made in February 2025, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz revealed that only 7% of Haredi Jews, including those affiliated with the Chabad movement, had responded to the recent conscription calls, while also emphasizing that the new conscription law must be passed before the budget can be approved.
Katz stressed that the current situation "does not indicate any actual response to the conscription orders" and noted that he had previously announced plans for the gradual enlistment of 7,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military.
In December, Katz presented the draft law to the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, outlining a strategy for integrating ultra-Orthodox men into the Israeli occupation forces. Security Minister Israel Katz has unveiled a draft law aiming to conscript 50% of ultra-Orthodox men by 2031. The legislation includes sanctions on draft dodgers and yeshivas whose students fail to report.
