UPDATE: Dozens of Chabad Bochurim Released From Military Custody, Others Remain Detained
by CrownHeights.info
Dozens of Chabad bochurim who were detained by Israeli military police at Ben Gurion Airport Tuesday morning after returning from a year of learning at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights have been released from military custody, while others remain imprisoned, according to Israeli media reports.
The developments follow the detention of dozens of students from the 5786 Kvutza, who arrived in Israel on a flight from New York. The bochurim were detained over unresolved military-service status, amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding the arrangements for yeshiva students in Israel.
According to a report by JFeed, citing Kikar Hashabbat, many of the detained bochurim expressed willingness to enlist in the IDF and were consequently released and referred to the military’s recruitment and induction center, known as Bakum, to begin the enlistment process.
In a statement, the IDF Spokesperson’s Office said that 42 individuals classified as draft evaders were arrested Tuesday as part of its ongoing enforcement of the Defense Service Law. Of those, 27 expressed willingness to enlist and were found fit for military service. They received suspended sentences and were released to begin the enlistment process.
Another 13 individuals who expressed unwillingness to cooperate with the enlistment process were sentenced to military prison. Two additional individuals, who had allegedly evaded military service for more than 540 days, were sent directly to military detention.
The figures released by the IDF account for 42 individuals classified as draft evaders, though reports about the total number of Chabad bochurim initially detained at the airport have varied.
The detentions have sparked criticism among Chareidi political figures, with representatives calling for the students’ release and a resolution to the broader dispute over military-service arrangements for yeshiva students. Chabad’s Beis Din has also been working with relevant authorities through a designated representative to address the situation and ensure the bochurim receive appropriate treatment.
The incident highlights the uncertainty facing young Chabad students returning to Israel after the traditional year of study at 770. The outcome for those still in custody remains dependent on their individual military status and the proceedings against them.