Israel Launches First Haredi-Only Military Unit Amid Draft Controversies

Israel's Defence Forces opened their first Haredi‑only unit at the Tel Nof air base, enrolling 20 ultra‑Orthodox recruits. The step is presented as part of a broader effort to enforce universal conscription and to integrate the Haredi community into national service, a policy defended by Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as a “moral imperative”.

The move comes as Haredi enlistments remain contentious. In a separate incident, a newly married yeshiva student was detained at an IDF recruitment office on suspicion of desertion and released hours later after intervention by politicians and activists, including MK Uri Maklev and Shas leader Aryeh Deri. The case highlighted ongoing arrests of Haredi students and the reliance on community intermediaries to resolve them. Both developments reflect the sharp social and political debate over mandatory military service for Israel's Haredi population.