Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved issuing 7,000 additional draft orders for the Haredim starting this week on Monday, embracing the IDF’s recommendation. According to the Defense Minister’s announcement, the increase in orders was intended to meet the army’s recruitment goals. The announcement followed Gallant’s meeting with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Deputy Chief of Staff Amir Baram, Head of the IDF’s HR Yaniv Asor, and IDF Chief Military Advocate Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi.
Here’s the thing: of the approximately 3,000 Haredim who were summoned to the recruitment offices in recent months as part of preparations for their IDF draft, only about 250 showed up. In response, the army issued arrest warrants to some 720 young Haredim who did not report to the recruitment offices after receiving a first and second draft order.
In other words, issuing double the number of draft orders would likely yield about 500 recruits at most, and about 1,500 arrest warrants, which make for a nice political smack at Netanyahu’s coalition with the Haredi parties, but the IDF’s needs will not be met.
A senior government official told News14 on Monday that this was a Gallant attempt to overthrow the government: “Without a law, there is no chance that more Haredim will be recruited following the issuance of the new orders,” he said. “This is an attempt to drive a wedge in the coalition and overthrow the government.”
The defense minister concluded his discussion with the IDF brass saying “The war and the challenges facing us illustrate the IDF’s need for additional soldiers. This is a real operational need that requires broad national mobilization from all parts of society.”
Meanwhile, the IDF has announced the formation of the “Hashmonaim Brigade, an elite infantry brigade, the first Haredi brigade in the IDF, which aims to allow the Haredi fighter to serve in a framework that is compatible with his lifestyle and is careful to preserve his identity. The brigade will open its first training cycle in Kislev 5785 (December 2024). The best commanders who define themselves as God-fearing Torah and mitzvot observers were selected for the brigade.”
