Criminal10/6/2026

IDF Acknowledges Suspension of Proactive Arrests of Military Service Evaders

At a follow-up meeting with the Attorney General, the IDF reported that, as a general rule, it had not recently carried out proactive arrests of deserters and draft evaders. The military attributed this to the concentration of forces at border crossings and preparations for the holiday period, even though two weeks earlier it had claimed that proactive activity was continuing.

Key facts

•Venue: a meeting with the Attorney General
•Period: September, with plans to resume activity in October
•212 people were arrested at border crossings
•188 people were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport
•Of those, 64 were arrested only upon returning to Israel
•According to estimates, 163 of those arrested belong to the Haredi community

What the Military Acknowledged

A document prepared on behalf of the Attorney General for submission to the High Court of Justice stated that, as a general rule, no proactive enforcement measures or arrests had recently been carried out. IDF representatives announced that these measures were expected to resume in October. The source does not specify the exact duration of the suspension.

Why Criticism Was Raised

Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon said that the prolonged absence of proactive activity against draft evaders was inconsistent with security needs, the principle of equality, the state’s commitments before the High Court of Justice, and the ruling that struck down the law that had prevented the arrest of yeshiva students. He demanded that the Military Police resume proactive activity in cooperation with the Israel Police as soon as possible.

Arrests at the Border

In September, 212 deserters and draft evaders were arrested at border crossings; according to estimates, 163 of them belong to the Haredi community. All those arrested were referred for trial, most of them in disciplinary proceedings. Of the 188 people arrested at Ben Gurion Airport, 64 were detected only upon their return to Israel, raising questions about gaps in monitoring travel-ban orders.

How the Joint Procedure Works

Under an IDF and police procedure, the police may detain a deserter or draft evader encountered by chance for 30 minutes so that Military Police representatives can arrive within that period. According to military sources, this procedure resulted in only a handful of arrests because forces had been concentrated at border crossings during the previous two months. The Population Authority announced that the gaps identified at the border were addressed quickly and that suspected cases of illegal border crossing were referred to the Israel Police or the IDF.

What this means for you

The suspension of proactive raids did not bring arrests to a halt: deserters and draft evaders continued to be detected at border crossings and during random checks. The IDF announced that it intends to resume proactive activity in October, meaning that the risk of arrest is not limited to the airport or to an attempt to cross the border.

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