Out of 10,000 draft orders sent to haredim in past six months, less than one thousand reported for service. Haredi Hashmonaim brigade having difficulty filling its ranks.
The IDF has failed to meet the haredi target recruitments it set for itself and has reduced them to almost the bare minimum possible, as reported on Monday morning on Reshet Bet.
Published army data shows that in the first four months of 2024, 3,000 orders were sent and 627 (about 20%) reported. Eighteen have arrest orders issued against them and 1,394 have been issued with stay of exit orders (preventing them from leaving the country). 962 have blatantly evaded service.
In the second four months, 7,014 orders were sent and only 367 (about 5%) reported. 2,473 arrest orders were sent and 446 stay of exit orders were issued.
In the final four months: 9,000 orders were sent. Another 5,000 are scheduled to be sent in the coming months.
The army admits that the figures are much lower than expected and that it is “disappointed to see the low number of haredi recruits.”
The IDF also understands that attempts to open dedicated haredi units have not appealed to the haredi public. For example, the Hashmonaim Brigade, which was established last year, hoped to recruit 280 combat soldiers in the current round of recruitment. After they realized that there were not enough recruits, the target was cut to 140. In planning for the drafting scheduled for today, the target was cut again to 80, estimating that 40 to 50 recruits will actually show up.
“The brigade exists,” said a security source, “but in practice they haven’t managed to fill even a part of the requirements. About 40 soldiers have been recruited and that is not enough manpower. They lowered the recruitment targets for the brigade in order to adapt the targets to the reality on the ground.”
For Netzah Yehuda, there was a target of 140 recruits, which was reduced to 120; for paratroopers from 30 to 20; Givati from 25 to 20, and Magen Negev, from 20 they reduced to 15 only.
The IDF has also stopped recruiting haredim for the Border Police in the current cycle, where an haredi company has been established. Privates assigned to the Border Police in the current cycle will be notified that they will be assigned to other positions, due to the need for manpower.
Military sources said that “the targets in each cycle are adjusted as the date of recruitment approaches, in accordance with the reporting forecast and operational priorities, due to the unique nature of the haredi drafting process.
The IDF is preparing for much higher recruitment numbers and, despite the expected increase in the number of recruits this year, this is much lower than desired in relation to planning and needs.”
