Israel Hunts Draft Evaders at Airports: Ultra-Orthodox Fear Arrest

Ben Gurion as the New Front Line

The Israeli army has launched a massive operation at Ben Gurion Airport to intercept ultra-Orthodox men attempting to avoid military conscription. According to Israeli media, passports and documents are being checked upon departure, and those found to have dodged service risk immediate arrest.

For some, this means a direct goodbye to pilgrimages to the Ukrainian city of Uman – a longstanding destination for Hasidic Jews during the upcoming Tishrei holidays.

Supreme Court Ruling Changes the Rules

The conflict has simmered for a long time, but in June 2024, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that there is no longer any legal basis for exempting yeshiva students from military service. As a result, ultra-Orthodox men are required to serve on equal terms with other citizens.

“The absence of a special law means that Haredim must be drafted under the same conditions as everyone else,” the court decision stated.

At the same time, the court ordered a halt to state subsidies for religious seminaries where students deliberately avoid service.

Thousands Caught in the Middle

The penalty varies depending on the length of evasion: Men who have avoided service for less than a year and a half can be drafted, while those who have evaded longer face prison sentences. According to the IDF, 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men were already drafted in 2024, and July 2025 saw the largest-ever campaign launched – with the potential to affect up to 54,000 people.

For many, the consequences are tangible. Journeys to Ukraine have been cancelled, and fear of imprisonment upon return is spreading throughout the ultra-Orthodox community.

A New Brigade Under Religious Guidelines

To help defuse the conflict, the Defense Ministry has established the Hasmonean Brigade – Israel’s first military unit exclusively for the ultra-Orthodox. Here, soldiers are permitted to keep beards, peyot, and maintain a religious lifestyle while fulfilling their service requirements.

For many young men, this marks a true baptism by fire – transitioning from seminary books to military life.

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