A highly unusual petition was recently submitted to the office of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara by a Bnei Brak resident, calling for punitive measures against Arab citizens of draft age.
The request included halting financial support for academic studies and revoking recognition of degrees earned abroad during the years when they would otherwise be eligible for military service.
The petitioner argued discrimination, claiming that the State applies double standards toward populations not serving in the IDF. He noted that while haredi youth who evade service face restrictions and arrest, the Arab population receives more lenient treatment despite also not serving.
The official response came from attorney Hadil Younis on behalf of Baharav-Miara, who highlighted a fundamental legal distinction:
“According to current law, members of the Arab population are not called to military service; therefore, there is a relevant difference between this group and the haredi community, who are called upon for security service. It is therefore unclear why sanctions should be imposed on those who were never called up and did not violate any obligation.”
She further explained that the distinction is rooted in clear legal definitions: Haredi youth fall under the compulsory draft law and are considered evaders if they fail to report, whereas Arab citizens are not legally obligated to enlist in the first place and thus cannot be considered in violation.