Israel's government knew the risks of haredi draft evasion – and ignored them – opinion

The Israeli government recently passed two laws allowing ultra-Orthodox (haredi) Israelis to continue evading military service, despite the IDF's stated shortage of nearly 15,000 soldiers and ongoing conflicts. These laws, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, elevate Torah study to a national value on par with military service and prevent the arrest of draft evaders. The article argues that these actions weaken the military and prioritize political interests over national security, drawing parallels to ignored warnings before October 7. The author states, "The military has been saying for months that it does not have enough soldiers." Critics contend that the government is sacrificing the country's interests for short-term political survival, ignoring public warnings from the IDF about the consequences.