Six Israeli draft evaders were caught Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport while attempting to leave the country, the Israel Airports Authority said.
Two were stopped at Terminal 1 and four others at Terminal 3. All six were transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority, where checks showed that they were subject to military draft orders barring them from leaving Israel.
Six men under IDF draft orders caught trying to fly abroad for Uman
(Photo: GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)
The arrests come amid a broader effort by Breslov Hasidim who have not reported for military service to travel to Uman, Ukraine, for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
Dozens of Breslov followers subject to draft obligations have been detained at Ben Gurion Airport over the past two weeks after authorities determined that they had failed to report in response to military summonses.
Several others were also detained at the Taba border crossing while attempting to travel through Egypt to Europe and continue from there to Uman.
Senior Breslov rabbis last week circulated a recording urging draft evaders not to try their luck at Ben Gurion Airport and not to begin the IDF induction process solely in order to secure permission to travel to Uman.
The recording, first reported by ynet, followed growing concern among Breslov leaders over followers who had failed to report to military induction centers but later indicated to the IDF that they were prepared to enlist or begin the induction process.
The aim, according to the report, was to have their travel restrictions lifted so they could make the pilgrimage to Uman around Rosh Hashanah.