Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara held a follow-up discussion on enforcement of the military draft obligation and implementation of the High Court of Justice ruling on the issue of the draft. At the conclusion of the discussion, it was determined that enforcement measures against draft evaders must be increased.
According to data presented during the discussion, despite an increase in the number of haredim enlisting, members of the haredi community currently account for approximately 80% of all draft evaders.
The discussion, held at the beginning of the month with representatives of the IDF, Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, Israel Police, Population Authority and National Digital Agency, reviewed the draft year that ended on June 30, 2026. According to figures presented by the military, 4,298 members of the haredi community enlisted during the past draft year, compared with 2,811 the previous year, while the number of haredi combat soldiers increased by approximately 31%.
Professional officials pointed to four main factors that they said contributed to the increase: issuing draft orders to everyone obligated to enlist, civil and economic enforcement measures, criminal enforcement, and the expansion of military service tracks specifically designed for haredim. Finance Ministry officials, however, argued that expectations of legislation that would exempt yeshiva students from their individual obligation to enlist and cancel enforcement measures created a significant disincentive to enlistment.
According to figures provided during the discussion, 60,217 people designated for military service from the general population have been declared draft dodgers, approximately 50,000 of whom are members of the haredi community. In addition, approximately 101,000 people designated for military service have either been issued an order under Section 12 or have already been declared draft dodgers - an increase of approximately 59,000 compared with the end of the previous draft year.
Since January 1, 2026, 348 indictments have been filed against military draft dodgers, only 34 of them against individuals whom the Military Prosecution believes are members of the haredi community. This compares with 224 indictments filed during all of 2025, approximately 18 of which were against individuals obligated to enlist who, according to the prosecution's assessment, belonged to the Haredi community.
Military officials explained that the low number of indictments against haredim stems in part from the small number of arrests in Haredi communities, since either an arrest or an individual's reporting to the authorities is a prerequisite for initiating proceedings. From the beginning of August 2025 through July 22, 2026, 679 haredi individuals obligated to enlist faced disciplinary proceedings for unauthorized absence from military service.
Over the past year, the Military Police carried out 860 proactive arrests among the general population. In addition, 244 deserters, draft dodgers and individuals wanted by military courts were randomly detained by the Israel Police and subsequently arrested by the Military Police.
Military and police officials pointed to significant difficulties in carrying out proactive arrests of haredi draft dodgers because such operations are accompanied by large-scale disturbances that require the allocation of substantial resources. Nevertheless, military officials said they intend to increase the number of arrests, including through proactive operations coordinated with the police.
Enforcement has also been expanded at border crossings. Between August 1, 2025, and August 1, 2026, 1,528 people identified as draft dodgers or deserters were detained. Of these, 298 were prohibited from leaving the country, and 27 were arrested out of 89 who were subject to arrest at the time.
Summarizing the discussion, the Attorney General determined that the increase in haredi enlistment "is still far from meeting the country's security needs," and does not bring about the required reduction in inequality in sharing the burden. Regarding criminal enforcement, the summary stated that "the current situation, as described by military officials and Israel Police officials, is inconsistent with what is expected of the state."
It was further determined that the IDF, with the assistance of the police, must work to enforce the military service obligation equally. Military and police officials were instructed to submit by August 30 an organized enforcement plan detailing the proactive operations planned against draft dodgers.
At the same time, the relevant authorities were instructed to continue advancing civil and economic enforcement measures. Among the possibilities discussed were revoking eligibility for the "Nitzanim" after-school program, which a Finance Ministry representative said is considered particularly effective in encouraging enlistment, as well as reviewing eligibility for rental assistance benefits.
The National Digital Agency reported that an interface has already been launched that enables government ministries to digitally receive information from the IDF regarding individuals obligated to enlist who have not regularized their status. Some government ministries have already connected to the system and are using the data to implement court decisions regarding the revocation of benefits.
Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni sharply criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara following her response to the High Court of Justice, according to which funding for Haredi education networks will be conditioned on full core-curriculum studies and compliance with a series of oversight requirements. "Who appointed Baharav-Miara to decide everything in the country according to her agenda?" Gafni asked.
Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni sharply criticized Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over her position regarding state funding for haredi education networks.
Gafni questioned the Attorney General's authority to determine policy across the country based on what he described as her own agenda.
"Who appointed Baharav-Miara to decide everything in the country according to her agenda?" Gafni asked.