Israel's Planned Draft of ultra-Orthodox Falls Far Short of the Army's Current Needs
According to the emerging plan, some 9,600 young Haredim will be recruited within two years – far fewer than the 63,000 ultra-Orthodox men of draft age. The General Staff will continue to rely on reservists as long as the Gaza war continues – and also during the tense period expected on the borders in coming years | There is a big gap between the army's immediate needs, as presented to political leaders amid the severe erosion in manpower due to the prolonged war in Gaza and with Hezbollah, and the pace at which the IDF plans to recruit young ultra-Orthodox men. The General Staff described the need to create additional brigades of conscript soldiers, given the losses sustained since the October 7 massacre. This includes 681 fatalities and over 4,100 hospitalized wounded men, with a few thousand additional soldiers suffering from post-traumatic responses to the war. The drafting of Haredi men, following the collapse of the law enabling their exemption and demands by the High Court of Justice to finally resolve this crisis, is expected to proceed at a slower pace.
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