The number of Israelis classified as military draft dodgers has surged to more than 76,000, yet only 437 arrests have been made since the beginning of 2026, according to Israel Defense Forces data obtained by Ynet, revealing a widening gap between the scale of draft evasion and efforts to enforce compulsory military service.
The figures, released in response to a freedom of information request by the civic organization Israel Hofsheet and the Movement for Freedom of Information, come as ultra-Orthodox protests against the arrest of draft evaders intensify and the Israeli military faces a worsening personnel shortage. Despite a decision to issue draft notices to 80,000 young ultra-Orthodox men, the records suggest that enforcement has failed to keep pace with the growing number of people ignoring their summonses.
Protest outside an Israeli military prison
(Video: Moti Kimchi)
According to the IDF figures, arrests for draft evasion peaked in 2023, when 674 people were detained and approximately 7,000 were classified as draft evaders. In 2024, the number of draft evaders rose to 14,467, while arrests fell to 490.
The gap widened further in 2025, when the number of draft evaders jumped to 55,594, but only 519 arrests were recorded throughout the year. So far in 2026, the number of people classified as draft evaders has reached 76,809, while just 437 arrests have been made.
The figures also reveal a striking disparity in criminal prosecutions. Although ultra-Orthodox men account for approximately 83% of those classified as draft evaders, the overwhelming majority of indictments have been filed against people outside the ultra-Orthodox community.
One explanation lies in the current legal framework. Criminal indictments for draft evasion can be filed only after at least 540 days have passed since an individual failed to report following an initial summons. Because mass conscription notices to ultra-Orthodox men began following a 2024 High Court of Justice ruling, many of those who ignored their first notices are only now approaching the threshold for prosecution.
The IDF previously stated in a document submitted to the High Court that it would seek to shorten that period from 540 days to one year, but the change has not been implemented.
As a result, only 12% of those indicted for draft evasion in 2026 have been ultra-Orthodox. A total of 360 indictments have been filed so far this year, compared with 442 throughout 2025.
Uri Keidar, executive director of Israel Hofsheet, accused the military and government of backing down in the face of protests and violence surrounding the arrests.
"The blatant selective enforcement proves that, faced with ultra-Orthodox violence, the IDF and the Israeli government have tucked their tails between their legs," Keidar said. "The lack of governance proves that under the current government, spitting in the face of those who serve has become the norm."
He also accused the military of yielding to political pressure and retreating in the face of violence by ultra-Orthodox draft evaders and their supporters.
Attorney Dan Rosenthal of the Movement for Freedom of Information criticized what he described as the military's efforts to withhold enforcement data.
"The IDF is obsessed with concealing information about enforcement against deserters and draft evaders," Rosenthal said. "Only after numerous delays, attempts to evade disclosure and a District Court order were the figures showing the failure to enforce the law finally provided."
"It is now clear beyond any doubt that the IDF is discriminating and not enforcing the law equally," he added. "The IDF is violating the law and the rulings of all the Supreme Court justices who determined that it must enforce the law."
The IDF rejected the allegations, insisting that enforcement is conducted without discrimination between population groups.
"Enforcement against suspects in draft evasion offenses is carried out equally, without distinction between different populations," the military said in a statement.
Ultra-Orthodox members of the Sanz Hasidic community protest outside Military Prison 10
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
According to the IDF, enforcement includes individuals who report voluntarily to resolve their draft evasion status, as well as proactive arrests conducted by military police, sometimes with assistance from the Israel Police.
"Over the past several weeks, dozens of draft evaders and deserters have been arrested in proactive operations and at border crossings by military police, in addition to arrests carried out in cooperation with the Israel Police," the military said.
"Despite the many operational missions in which the IDF is engaged, the military has invested substantial resources in enforcing the law."
The Israel Police, meanwhile, emphasized that responsibility for arresting draft evaders rests primarily with the military police, with civilian police serving in a supporting role.
"This is a mission under the responsibility and leadership of the military police, while the Israel Police is an assisting body, and the handling of the matter remains unchanged," the police said.
Drawing lessons from previous incidents, the police added, the IDF must deploy sufficient forces during planned enforcement operations to ensure that arrests can be carried out safely and effectively.
The competing accounts underscore the growing dispute over the enforcement of Israel's military service requirements, as the number of draft evaders continues to increase and critics question whether the military is applying the law equally across Israeli society.