The Israel Defense Forces have launched a large-scale operation at Ben-Gurion International Airport. The goal is to identify and detain ultra-Orthodox men who are evading mandatory military service and trying to travel abroad on the eve of the Tishrei holidays.
This is reported by the Mako publication.
The security forces are paying special attention to men planning a trip to the Ukrainian city of Uman, as well as those returning to Israel from abroad. If documents are checked and evasion is confirmed, the Military Police arrest such men on the basis of warrants.
The degree of punishment depends on the duration of the evasion: those who have avoided service for less than 540 days are sent to the draft, and prison is waiting for those who have ignored it for years. Because of this, some Haredim are even considering the possibility of canceling trips to Ukraine to avoid the risk of arrest.
The operation caused outrage among the ultra-Orthodox community, which traditionally demands exemption from service on religious grounds.
According to official figures, in 2024, about 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men were conscripted into the army. From July 2025, the IDF launched the largest conscription campaign in history, which could include up to 54,000 Haredim.
As a reminder, last year, Uman expected about 30,000 Hasidic pilgrims who planned to come to celebrate the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah).
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