Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is demanding that the IDF and Israel Police renew proactive enforcement operations and arrests against yeshiva bochurim who have not reported for military service, while also calling for tougher financial and personal sanctions.

The demand follows a government review of the draft year that ended in June 2026, conducted under the attorney general and with representatives from the IDF, Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, Israel Police, Population and Immigration Authority, National Digital Agency and other bodies.

According to figures presented in the review, approximately 50,000 Chareidim are currently classified by authorities as having failed to report for military service, while an additional 31,000 have been issued “Order 12” notices. Since the beginning of the year, 34 indictments have been filed against Chareidim for failing to report for military service. The review also found that approximately 80% of all Israelis currently classified by authorities as having failed to report are Chareidi.

The figures show that since August 2025, 679 individuals classified as deserters have faced military disciplinary proceedings, while 860 arrests were carried out over the past year. In addition, 244 people were detained by police, and 1,528 were stopped at Ben Gurion Airport and other border crossings. During the past three months alone, 1,061 individuals classified as deserters were prevented from leaving Israel at border crossings.

At the same time, officials reported an increase in the number of Chareidim entering military service. The review concluded that issuing draft orders to all eligible Chareidi men, together with increased financial and personal enforcement measures and adjustments to military service tracks, contributed to that increase.

The Justice Ministry maintains that additional financial and personal enforcement measures should now be implemented in order to further increase compliance with military service requirements and address what it describes as the military’s urgent need for additional manpower.

Alongside those measures, Baharav-Miara is calling on the IDF and police to resume proactive operations and arrests against those who have not reported for military service across all sectors of the population, citing the principle of equal enforcement.

In her response to the High Court, Baharav-Miara acknowledged the significant difficulties authorities face when attempting proactive arrests within the Chareidi community. Military and police officials pointed to the “significant difficulty that currently exists in carrying out proactive operations and arresting [those who have not reported for military service] from the Chareidi community at this time, in light of the large-scale public disturbances that accompany them.”

Officials noted that dealing with the protests requires substantial resources. Despite those difficulties, authorities maintain that proactive enforcement operations and arrests are important for creating a deterrent against failing to report for military service.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)