From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Smotrich says it’s ‘a complete lie’ that IDF soldiers are burdened because Haredim don’t serve
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says it’s “a complete lie” that IDF soldiers are strained because the ultra-Orthodox do not enlist, contradicting repeated warnings from the military about severe manpower shortages.
“I maintain that the claim that the burden on those serving is heavy because the Haredim do not serve is a complete lie,” Smotrich says at a campaign event.
He claims that some 50,000 combat-trained reservists are willing to return to military service but cannot be put to use due to shortages of equipment and infrastructure, without providing evidence to substantiate that figure.
The IDF has repeatedly warned that it is short some 12,000 soldiers, a gap expected to widen when mandatory service is shortened in early 2027. In May, the military warned of severe burnout among troops due to the shortage and cautioned that the reserve force could “collapse” unless legislation was advanced to draft the approximately 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 believed to be eligible for military service who have not enlisted.
Smotrich’s remarks come amid longstanding anger within his far-right Religious Zionism party’s base, whose members serve disproportionately in combat roles, over the blanket service exemptions long afforded to Haredi men.
The Times of Israel Community.