Amid growing tensions over the Draft Law and a recent wave of arrests of draft-evading yeshiva students, the Committee of Yeshivas in the Land of Israel issued an unusual and detailed letter on Tuesday morning, ahead of the start of the winter semester in yeshivas.
The letter calls on tens of thousands of yeshiva students to exercise extreme caution, avoid encounters with military authorities, and follow a series of strict guidelines intended to prevent legal complications.
"It is unnecessary to note the complex situation facing students of the holy yeshivas is complex," the guidelines state. "This requires heightened attention and extreme caution to avoid making oneself known to the authority, approaching border crossings, and so on."
The Committee also outlined strict bureaucratic procedures concerning the submission of documents to military authorities under certain personal circumstances.
The letter stressed that all required documents must be submitted before the official enlistment date, as the military system generally refuses to consider such documentation afterward, leaving students exposed to criminal proceedings.
In addition, yeshiva students who are foreign residents but also hold Israeli citizenship are instructed to arrange their status as "children of emigrants coming to study" directly through Israeli consulates in their countries of residence before arriving in Israel, in order to avoid complications and heavy fines.