Thousands of immigrants’ children seek IDF enlistment: ‘They want to wear the uniform’

A letter sent to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reveals that over 3,500 young people, primarily those born or raised in Israel with temporary residency, are eager to enlist in the IDF but are barred due to administrative policy. Attorney Tomer Warsha, chairman of the Israel Bar Association's Immigration Committee, submitted the letter, urging Zamir to create a dedicated enlistment track to address the IDF's manpower shortage. The letter argues that the Defense Service Law already permits the enlistment of non-citizens or non-permanent residents whose permanent residence is in Israel, a power the Defense Ministry has previously acknowledged but is not currently exercising. "If the IDF is crying out over a manpower shortage, we cannot leave outside the recruitment offices young people who grew up here, speak Hebrew, see Israel as their home and want to wear the uniform," Warsha stated. Sources suggest that officials from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party are blocking the initiative, fearing that military service would make it difficult to oppose granting these recruits Israeli citizenship.