IDF preparing to intensify clampdown on haredi draft dodgers
The IDF is preparing to intensify measures against haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft dodgers, shortening the period after which draft dodgers can be arrested, N12 reported on Wednesday.
The IDF has sent out at least 54,000 draft orders to haredi men over the past month and is preparing for large-scale arrest operations nationwide, in coordination with the Israel Police.
The IDF's current criteria state that anyone who avoids the draft for more than 540 days will be sent to prison, while those who evade for a shorter period will undergo a prompt trial process before being drafted.
The military is ramping up the draft enforcement in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, when thousands of haredim are expected to travel to Uman, Ukraine, by creating a system to aid in arresting draft dodgers at Ben-Gurion Airport.
In September, the IDF will hold a partial amnesty period, allowing all draft dodgers to enlist without being arrested, in exchange for a full year of regular military service, along with other conditions, N12 reported. In these instances, the charge of draft dodging will be amended, and the draft dodger will be issued with a conditional sentence.
In total, the army has now issued approximately 78,000 summonses to haredi men between the ages of 17.5 and 28 during the 2024 draft year. The IDF clarified that this stage constitutes only the 'first order' — an initial call to appear at a recruitment office. Failure to respond triggers a second and third order, followed by a warning, and ultimately an arrest warrant.
This large-scale draft effort coincided with a high-level emergency conference of haredi rabbinic leaders, who declared total opposition to the draft. 'It is forbidden to go into a military framework under any circumstances,' read a joint statement. 'Every young man and woman must stand firm in their faith and not be tempted to go into the army.'
Head of United Torah Judaism's Degel HaTorah faction MK Moshe Gafni criticized Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara for her role in the new enforcement procedure.
"Baharav-Miara declared herself the main fighter against the world of Torah, its students, and the upholders of the Jewish people. We will not allow anyone to prevent a yeshiva student from studying Torah or to stop his learning. The Jewish people are educated by the trials of history, both near and far, where attempts to prevent Torah study were made, and their end is known," Gafni said.
Rabbi Meir Zvi Bergman, a senior figure in the Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party, warned that 'a haredi who enters the army does not leave it as a haredi' and called on students to resist, even at great personal cost.
Shas chairman Arye Deri also criticized Baharav-Miara, saying that her "draconian instructions...against Torah students in the Jewish state are a disgrace and a loss of mind. The use of extreme measures, akin to those used on criminals, against yeshiva students who uphold the Torah that sustains the world should shock every Jew who loves and respects the Torah. We will not allow anyone to interfere with a yeshiva student's devotion to his studies."
Deri also told yeshiva students not to worry about draft orders, that they should sit and study, and that there are others who are taking care of it, as shown in video footage shared by a journalist from Army Radio.
Israel will stop funding haredi yeshivot designated for draft dodgers
Israel will stop funding haredi yeshivot designated specifically for at-risk youth who do not draft to the IDF, a Supreme Court ruling handed down on Monday revealed.
The hearing was on a petition filed by NGO Israel Hofsheet against the funding itself. The petition came following a previous High Court of Justice ruling forbidding the state from funding yeshivot that didn't settle their status with the IDF.
The so-called 'dropout yeshivot' are the Noham institutions for disengaged haredi youth. Starting from the upcoming school year - in September, funding will be discontinued for students in these yeshivot who have not resolved their status with the military.
Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is China waking up to Israel's strategic importance? Beijing rethinks Middle East strategy
An expert analyzes how China is responding to a new set of global challenges. China's growing engagement in the Middle East—heightened by the recent escalation of conflict in Gaza—has drawn significant global attention and speculation. Traditionally, Beijing's regional strategy has focused on securing long-term economic and energy interests: ensuring access to vital energy resources, safeguarding major international trade corridors, and investing extensively in infrastructure, technology, and energy sectors, particularly in the Persian Gulf. Yet, despite these strategic imperatives, China continues to pursue a deliberately ambivalent and multidimensional approach toward key regional actors, most notably Iran and Israel. This carefully calibrated posture reflects broader geopolitical shifts, the erosion of US hegemony, and, above all, the mounting instability across the Middle East—developments that increasingly threaten both regional equilibrium and China's own economic security. Energy and strategic interests Energy security is a central pillar of China's strategic outlook. As the world's largest oil importer, China currently sources around 40% of its oil from the Middle East–a figure expected to double by 2035. This heavy reliance exposes Beijing to acute vulnerabilities should conflict or instability disrupt critical maritime chokepoints such as the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. These strategic routes also account for roughly 60% of China's trade with Europe and Africa, further amplifying the stakes of regional volatility. Beyond energy, China's broader economic footprint in the region—particularly through the global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—faces mounting risks. Saudi Arabia, China's largest trading partner in the region, exemplifies this accelerating interdependence: their bilateral trade reached $107.53 billion in 2024, underscoring the rapid deepening of their economic ties. Navigating regional rivalries Alongside its pursuit of undermining the American regional influence and asserting itself as a stabilizing global power, Beijing–long known for its cautious and natural approach–has recently adopted a more pragmatic, proactive stance in the diplomatic arena. This shift reflects a delicate balancing act and the adaptation of a flexible, well-calibrated strategy, aimed at maximizing the value derived from diverse strategic partnerships while carefully avoiding alienating any particular state or favouring one over another. China's sophisticated manoeuvring between rival actors and competing regional interests—exemplified by its concurrent cooperation with Saudi Arabia, whose Crown Prince's global ambitious vision, "Vision 2030," is being advanced in tandem with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This occurs despite its deepening ties with Iran and opposition to its nuclear program and while simultaneously leading diplomatic efforts and negotiations with both the United States and Arab leaders, aimed at promoting a ceasefire and preventing further security escalation in the Middle East. Furthermore, China draws a clear distinction between declarative rhetoric and operational conduct, as well as between political confrontations and broader systemic interests. These distinctions enable it to uphold the principle of non-intervention—avoiding direct political or military involvement—while simultaneously continuing to lead a critical discourse that includes sharp condemnation of Israel and its military policies, alongside consistent support, on the other hand, for the Palestinian and Iranian positions. The Israel-Iran conflict: A critical turning point However, a closer look reveals that the recent direct confrontation between Iran and Israel, which erupted in June, along with US military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, has triggered a significant shift in China's perception of both actors. This shift is already challenging its previously neutral stance, testing its relationships with regional states and its ability to navigate among them. Moreover, this development increases China's dependence on oil powers, intensifying its need to diversify energy sources and alternative trade and supply routes, including diversified engagements with Central Asian states. Alongside its commitment to invest approximately $400 billion in the development of critical infrastructure across Iran, including the establishment of logistical corridors and the strengthening of security and economic cooperation as part of the BRI project, Beijing is simultaneously cultivating economic and strategic partnerships with Israel, primarily in the fields of high-tech, innovation, and science. Recent reports indicate that bilateral trade volume between China and Israel reached $16.27 billion in 2024, compared to $14.56 billion in 2023. Furthermore, in May of this year, Chinese exports to Israel totalled $1.45 billion, while imports from Israel reached $1.7 billion–figures that reflect Israel's rising significance in Beijing's calculations. Moreover, alongside efforts to restore Iran's military capabilities and renew its missile systems damaged during Israeli and American strikes, China—having for the first time adopted a relatively moderate and conciliatory stance toward Israel—simultaneously directed sharp criticism at the Iranian leadership, accusing it of ideological dogmatism and adherence to an extreme political position. From Beijing's perspective, the conflict with Israel has demonstrated that Iran—significantly weakened—is no longer keeping pace with global developments, and that the so-called 'Axis of Resistance,' including the network of proxies it has cultivated across the Middle East over the years, is gradually fracturing. Senior Chinese scholars have even suggested that the Ayatollah regime, now perceived as teetering on the brink of collapse, no longer serves the strategic interests of China's leadership in the region. Strategic adjustments Recently, voices in Israel are increasingly calling for a reassessment of relations with China, despite constraints imposed by the United States. This presents an opportunity to adopt a new, pragmatic foreign policy approach—one that advances Israel's interests in China, across Asia, and more broadly among countries of the 'Global South.' At the same time, it could help integrate China into initiatives aimed at promoting stability in the Middle East, including the future rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip. All of this is especially relevant today, amid mounting global criticism of Israel, the renewal of nuclear talks with Iran, and the unpredictable foreign policy of the President of the United States. From a broad geopolitical and strategic perspective, it is already becoming apparent that even a partial or limited shift in China's stance toward Israel constitutes an important diplomatic signal—one that could eventually lead to a significant strategic turning point. Beyond the inherent advantages of strengthening bilateral ties and expanding Beijing's role as a mediator between regional adversaries, deeper Chinese involvement could help restrain Iran or, at the very least, counterbalance its negative influence while reducing the risk of regional security escalation. In addition, recognition from China could enhance Israel's prestige and global image—not only as a member of the American-Western bloc and a close ally of the United States, but also as a powerful and legitimate actor on the international stage. Strengthening ties between the two countries could lead to diversification and expansion of investments and partnerships in fields such as technology, innovation (AI), agriculture, and healthcare. This would boost Israeli exports to China's vast market and help position Israel as a regional power. Furthermore, closer relations and a more balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could influence other countries in the Global South and improve Israel's standing in their eyes. China's real politics Looking from a broad Chinese vantage point, it is evident that China's diplomatic pivot is a sophisticated and calculated move—another layer in its global geopolitical strategy. Beyond expanding its political and economic influence in the Middle East, strengthening ties with Israel is expected to help China position itself as a responsible, moderate, and balanced global power—one capable of acting as a potential mediator in other regional and international conflicts (such as the dispute between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, the fight against the Houthis, and the war between Russia and Ukraine). Through this initiative, China seeks to establish its own network of bilateral and multilateral relationships that will grant it geopolitical flexibility, reduce its dependence on any single country, and enhance its status and image on the international stage. Although this shift may provoke opposition from Iran and other Muslim countries—as well as Western criticism regarding the disruption of the regional balance of power—the success of the move largely depends on how China chooses to frame its new policy. If Beijing emphasizes its pragmatic stance and clarifies that it does not aim to create a new regional security order or to replace the United States in the region, it could profoundly reshape the Middle East landscape, contribute to the regional and global geopolitical balance. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Israeli minister prays at flashpoint holy site as officials say 27 aid-seekers killed in Gaza
Israel Palestinians DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A far-right Israeli minister visited and prayed at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site on Sunday, triggering regional condemnation and fears that the provocative move could further escalate tensions. The visit came as hospitals in Gaza said 27 more Palestinians seeking food aid were killed by Israeli fire. With Israel facing global criticism over famine-like conditions in the besieged strip, the visit by Itamar Ben-Gvir to the hillside compound threatened to further set back efforts by international mediators to halt Israel's nearly two-year military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The area, which Jews call the Temple Mount, is the holiest site in Judaism and was home to the ancient biblical temples. Muslims call the site the Noble Sanctuary. Today it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam. Visits by Israeli officials are considered a provocation across the Muslim world and openly praying violates a longstanding status quo at the site. Jews have been allowed to tour the site but are barred from praying, with Israeli police and troops providing security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said after Ben-Gvir's visit that Israel would not change the norms governing the holy site. Ben-Gvir made the visit following Hamas' release of videos showing two emaciated Israeli hostages. The videos caused in uproar in Israel and raised pressure on the government to reach a deal to bring home from Gaza the remaining 50 hostages who were captured on Oct. 7, 2023, in the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war. During his visit to the compound, Ben-Gvir called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip and encourage Palestinians to leave, reviving rhetoric that has complicated negotiations to end the war. He raged against a video that Hamas released Saturday of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David showing him skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. He called it an attempt to pressure Israel. Ben-Gvir's previous visits to the site have prompted threats from Palestinian militant groups. Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian demonstrators in and around the site fueled an 11-day war with Hamas in 2021. His visit Sunday was swiftly condemned as an incitement by Palestinian leaders as well as Jordan, the Al-Aqsa Mosque's custodian, and Saudi Arabia. Sufian Qudah, spokesman for neighboring Jordan's foreign ministry, condemned what he called 'provocative incursions by the extremist minister' and implored Israel to prevent escalation. Videos of hungry and suffering Israeli hostages Israel has been jolted by new videos of hostages with their ribs protruding and bodies ravaged by hunger. Netanyahu's office said it spoke with the Red Cross to seek help in providing them food and medical care. The videos — released by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza — triggered outrage across the political spectrum. Tens of thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday urging Israel and the United States to urgently pursue their release after suspending ceasefire talks. Right-wing politicians who oppose deals with Hamas said the footage reinforced their conviction that the militant group must be obliterated. 'From here we need to bring a message and ensure that from today, we conquer all of the Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over all of the Gaza Strip, take out every Hamas member and encourage voluntary emigration,' Ben-Gvir said on a video posted on social media after his visit to the holy site. Deadly chaos grips food distribution points Palestinians reported more deadly violence at aid sites Sunday, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said a staff member was killed when Israeli forces shelled its office with artillery. Hospital officials said Israeli forces killed at least 27 Palestinians seeking food, and witnesses described facing gunfire as hungry crowds surged toward aid sites. Desperation has gripped the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million, which experts warn faces 'a worst-case scenario of famine ″ because of Israel's blockade. No aid entered Gaza between March 2 and May 19, and aid has been limited since then. Yousef Abed, among the people en route to a distribution point, described coming under indiscriminate fire and seeing at least three people bleeding on the ground. 'I couldn't stop and help them because of the bullets,' he said. Two hospitals in southern and central Gaza reported receiving bodies from routes leading to the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites, including 11 killed in the Teina area while trying to reach a distribution point in Khan Younis. Three Palestinian eyewitnesses, including one traveling through Teina, told The Associated Press that shootings occurred on the routes, which are in military zones secured by Israeli forces. They said they saw soldiers open fire on hungry crowds advancing toward troops. Eyewitnesses seeking food have reported similar gunfire in recent weeks near aid distribution sites. The United Nations says 859 people were killed near GHF sites from May 27 to July 31 and hundreds of others have been killed along the routes of U.N.-led food convoys. GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Israel's military has said it only fires warning shots. Both claim the death tolls have been exaggerated. Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions about Sunday's reported fatalities but said it was reviewing the Red Crescent's claim. GHF's media office said there was no gunfire 'near or at our sites.' More deaths from hunger Meanwhile, Gaza's Health Ministry said six more Palestinian adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, bringing the malnutrition-related death toll among adults to 82 over the five weeks that the ministry has counted such deaths. Malnutrition-related deaths are not included in the ministry's count of war casualties. Ninety-three children have also died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began, the ministry said. Israel has taken steps in the past week to increase the flow of food into Gaza, saying 1,200 aid trucks have entered while hundreds of pallets have been airdropped, but U.N. and relief groups say conditions have not improved. The U.N. has said 500 to 600 trucks a day are needed. Anger has led to protests overseas, including one in Australia on Sunday by thousands of people. The 2023 attack that sparked the war killed about 1,200 people and abducted another 251. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed more than 60,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, is staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and other independent experts view its figures as the most reliable count of casualties. Israel has disputed its figures but hasn't provided its own account of casualties. ___ Metz reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Leaked memo from Hegseth's brother calls for US army to help with deportations nationwide ‘for years to come': report
A leaked memo from the Department of Homeland Security suggests that the Trump administration is considering using the U.S. military to boost its ongoing mass deportation agenda, while acknowledging the deployment of troops in Los Angeles earlier this year wasn't 'perfect,' according to a new report. The memo was allegedly written by DHS senior adviser Phil Hegseth, the brother of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The New Republic published the texts on Saturday. President Donald Trump has already used U.S. military personnel in his aggressive deportation campaign. In June, Trump nationalized approximately 5,000 National Guard members and sent them to LA to push back against protesters demonstrating against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids in their neighborhoods. In addition to the National Guard members, Trump also sent 700 U.S. Marines to the city to stomp out the "violent insurrectionist mob." Most of the military members sent to LA have since been pulled out of the city. The DHS memo outlines a June 21 meeting between senior DHS and Pentagon officials, according to The New Republic, and suggests that U.S. military members will be needed to carry out Trump's deportation efforts for "years to come." Top level officials from both agencies, including Hegseth and acting ICE commissioner Todd Lyons, were listed as participants, the outlet reported. The memo advises departments on how they can "better plan for national security and illegal immigration" via three action items, including utilizing the Pentagon's "nationwide operational planning capabilities." "The U.S. military leadership (the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and NORTHCOM) need to feel — for the first time — the urgency of the homeland defense mission. They need to understand the threat, what's at stake, and the political importance the administration has placed on this issue," the memo reads. Later in the memo, it acknowledges that the troop deployment to LA didn't go the way the Trump administration had hoped. It does suggest that they are expecting similar operations to be carried out in the future, however. 'Everyone here is also aware of our joint work in L.A.,' it states. 'It hasn't been perfect, and we're still working through best practices together, but I think it's a good indicator of the type of operations (and resistance) we're going to be working through for years to come.' The Independent has requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security.
