Amid Israel’s ongoing transition back to routine following its recent war with Iran, the legal and political standoff over the chareidi draft issue remains at the forefront of national debate.
Late Thursday night, the Attorney General’s office submitted a formal request to Israel’s Supreme Court for a 16-day extension to respond to a petition demanding clarity on the government’s position regarding the enlistment of yeshiva students.
The request was submitted in light of an earlier Supreme Court directive requiring the state to explain why the IDF is not currently conscripting chareidi youth, despite the absence of a binding legal framework regulating draft deferments for full-time Torah students.
The Attorney General cited Operation Am KeLavi, Israel’s preemptive military campaign against Iran, as the reason for the delay. According to the government, key decision-makers responsible for addressing the draft issue were occupied with immediate national security concerns throughout the operation.
The draft law crisis has intensified in recent weeks, as no updated legislation has been enacted to formally define the status of yeshiva students in the national service structure. Over a month ago, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi instructed the head of the IDF’s Human Resources Directorate, Maj. Gen. Dudu Bar Kalifa, to prepare a comprehensive plan addressing the future of chareidi enlistment.
Lt. Gen. Halevi reportedly called for a plan that would both expand and accelerate the issuance of draft notices to chareidi men, while simultaneously increasing the army’s capacity to integrate and absorb them. Sources say the IDF is preparing to send out over 60,000 draft orders. Any chareidi male of draft age who has not yet turned 26 and does not respond to the notice could face legal consequences, including arrest.
Military officials emphasized at the time: “In light of operational realities and the evolving conflict, the Chief of Staff directed the Human Resources Directorate to urgently present a strategy to widen and maximize draft orders for the chareidi population, along with preparing the army to accommodate them effectively.”
According to reports from officials close to the IDF’s leadership, plans are underway to promote voluntary enlistment among chareidim while simultaneously enforcing compliance. A separate outline for stricter enforcement measures against draft dodgers is also expected to be released soon, aimed at boosting IDF manpower.
{Matzav.com Israel}