
In a meeting of the State Control Committee led by MK Mickey Levy, the head of the Military Police Detainees Department, Inbar Goldner, revealed that the IDF is currently increasing its enforcement efforts against deserters and draft dodgers.
According to Goldner, there has been a noticeable rise in the scope of activity, especially at the ports of exit from the country and border crossings, in coordination with the Israel Police. "The number of forces at Ben Gurion Airport and the various crossings have been tripled," she noted.
"It was agreed on with the police that whoever comes up as a deserter in the system will be arrested on site," she added, "In addition to the traditional enforcement, we are building a new layer of enforcement which will work proactively at checkpoints and crossings as well."
Goldner added that as part of the preparations for the increased steps, the Military Police is working to expand the IDF's imprisonment capabilities. "We created a new dedicated company so we can tend to the growing number of detainees," she stated.
Goldner stressed that arrests at the airport create a significant deterrent effect. "We see draft dodgers who report to jail after being arrested at the airport, it influences them, it also deters others.
During the meeting, it was revealed that of the 1,200 haredim who reported after receiving draft orders, so far 422 have enlisted, 98 of them to combat units.