Israeli army mulls recruiting Jewish youth from abroad amid soldier shortage

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israel’s military is weighing a plan to enlist Jewish youth from abroad to offset what officials describe as a severe shortage of soldiers, Army Radio reported Monday.

The broadcaster said the army is exploring outreach to Jewish communities in the diaspora to convince young people to join its ranks.

The move comes as the military struggles with a shortfall of 10,000 to 12,000 troops, driven largely by the refusal of ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim, to serve.

Haredim, who account for about 13% of Israel’s population of 10 million, reject compulsory service, saying they dedicate their lives to Torah study and warning that integration into secular society would erode their religious identity.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid to advance legislation granting blanket exemptions for Haredim has drawn resistance from the coalition and opposition lawmakers alike, with critics denouncing the plan as discriminatory.

According to the Army Radio, the military intends to target major Jewish communities abroad, particularly in the US and France, with the aim of adding around 700 recruits each year.

The shortage has compounded wider problems for Israel’s armed forces, including equipment deficits and a reserve system strained by months of fighting in Gaza. Many reservists have reported psychological trauma and exhaustion linked to the war.

In July, the Israeli daily Maariv said senior commanders had, for the first time, admitted to the scale of the depletion, estimating a gap of about 7,500 soldiers. Battalion leaders cited crushing workloads, with some signaling plans for early retirement.

Meanwhile, Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza, led by Hamas’ military wing Al-Qassam Brigades, continue to release near-daily footage of operations targeting Israeli forces in ground battles that have raged since Oct. 27, 2023.

Israel has killed more than 61,900 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.