AG, police silent in face of growing ecosystem of Haredi evasion organizations
‘We regret that law enforcement agencies are de facto condoning criminality on such an important issue,’ says Movement for Quality Government; offense punishable by 15 years in jail
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The Israel Police and the attorney general appear to have failed to crack down on a growing ecosystem of ultra-Orthodox organizations aimed at promoting military draft evasion by yeshiva students, allowing them to operate unchecked despite multiple demands for investigation by advocacy groups following the issue.
Since the High Court of Justice’s ruling in June that the government must draft ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, multiple initiatives affiliated with various Haredi factions have sprung up to guide them through their new post-exemption reality — and encourage them to disregard IDF enlistment orders.
These include an advice line linked to Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush, which a recent Times of Israel investigation found was counseling callers to “just ignore” summonses to the IDF’s recruitment bureau, as well as a call center operated by the “Vaad HaYeshivot” (Yeshiva Committee) which insists that yeshiva students “not report [to the army] under any circumstances.”
Under Israeli law, someone inciting others to evade service during wartime is liable to a prison term of 15 years.
In addition to counseling yeshiva students to evade conscription, the Ynet website reported last month that the Agudat Yisrael coalition faction — part of the United Torah Judaism party — was also issuing advice regarding how to circumvent a High Court ruling restricting daycare subsidies for children of yeshiva students who fail to enlist.
In response, both Yesh Atid MK Vladimir Beliak and the Movement for Quality Government in Israel watchdog group called on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Israel Police to open a criminal investigation into Agudat Yisrael, alleging that the faction’s activities violated the law.
A third demand was submitted by the Israel Hofsheet (Be Free Israel) religious freedom advocacy group.
Despite the attorney general’s public call to sanction individual draft dodgers, none of those who submitted complaints about Agudat Yisrael received positive confirmation of any active investigations into its activities.
Asked if he had heard back from the attorney general, MK Beliak told The Times of Israel on Thursday that he had been sent “a generic response” that his letter had been received and that the Attorney General’s Office was “looking into the allegations.”
“It’s hard to know [if this is being taken seriously.] Chances are, nothing will come of it,” he said.
This was more of an answer than the Movement for Quality Government and Israel Hofsheet received, according to senior officials in both organizations.
“Unfortunately, it seems like despite appeals from a variety of parties, including members of Knesset, civil society organizations and more — the police and the attorney general are currently refusing to open a criminal investigation, despite what appears to be a solid evidentiary foundation,” said attorney and Movement for Quality Government deputy director Tomer Naor.
“We regret that law enforcement agencies are neglecting their authority and are de facto condoning criminality on such an important issue,” he stated — adding that his organization would “continue to appeal to the relevant authorities” and even take the matter to court if necessary.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like law enforcement authorities are doing what it takes to make sure that draft evaders are not benefiting from an illegal status,” complained Israel Hofsheet executive director Uri Keidar, pledging to continue applying pressure to “ensure that benefits are cut and privileges are taken away.”
Neither the Attorney General’s Office nor the Israel Police responded to inquiries from The Times of Israel regarding the existence of any investigations into the various draft evasion hotlines.
In response to an earlier request for comment following the publication of The Times of Israel’s investigation into Minister Porush, a spokesman said last month that the police were “responsible for investigating and enforcing criminal law in accordance with legal guidelines. Questions regarding the legal status of such conduct should be directed to the relevant legal authorities.”
‘Throw it in the trash’
Agudat Yisrael and the Vaad HaYeshivot’s operations are part of a larger ecosystem of initiatives to encourage evasion, one part of which is the “Am Kadosh” (Holy Nation) hotline run by the hardline Jerusalem Faction.
An extremist ultra-Orthodox group numbering some 60,000 members, the Jerusalem Faction is considered among the most conservative of Haredi factions and regularly demonstrates raucously against the enlistment of yeshiva students.
In a recording of a call to the hotline obtained by The Times of Israel, the operator could be heard telling a young Haredi man who had received his first call-up notice to crumple it up “like a falafel ball” and “throw it in the trash.”
Speaking with The Times of Israel, hotline director Yehuda Bloy said that his organization collaborates with a few other organizations “that work on the issue” — including one of what he said were two initiatives of Degel HaTorah, the second United Torah Judaism faction besides Agudat Yisrael.
Bloy declined to clarify to which initiative he was referring, insisting that he did not want such information published.
One recent initiative linked to figures in Degel HaTorah is the “Lema’ancha” (for your sake) hotline. Established at the orders of Rabbi Dov Lando, the faction’s senior spiritual leader, it is run by Shlomo Brilant, a municipal-level politician who currently serves as the deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh.
In a flyer circulated in Haredi WhatsApp groups earlier this week, Lema’ancha instructed yeshiva students not to report to the IDF recruitment bureau “for any reason.”
Advising readers to “not answer phone calls from the army,” the organization said that it was available 24 hours a day to provide legal assistance to those in need of assistance.
However, several callers who spoke with The Times of Israel reported not receiving any response from Lema’ancha and speculated that its purpose was merely to show the Haredi public that their spiritual leadership was taking action on the conscription issue.
Asked for comment, Brilant declined to address whether his initiative had any official ties with Degel HaTorah or had collaborated with the Jerusalem Faction. He also refused to comment on the legality of his organization’s advice, stating merely that he does “not speak with the press.”
Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg denied having any knowledge of Brilant’s activities while a spokesman for Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
“It seems like in broad daylight, and without shame, public money is funding the encouragement of evasion of compulsory military service in times of war, a criminal offense that carries a heavy prison sentence,” the Movement for Quality Government’s Naor said on Thursday.
“Law enforcement authorities must immediately address this serious phenomenon and prosecute all those who harm the IDF and the national resilience of Israel,” he said.
