Immigration9/26/2026

Israeli-Born Youths Ask the High Court of Justice to Allow Them to Serve in the IDF

Dozens of young people who were born and raised in Israel in families of workers from the Philippines who arrived legally petitioned the High Court of Justice after the IDF refused to enlist them. No decision has yet been issued on the merits: the state must present its position by October 4.

Key facts

•Court: Israel’s High Court of Justice — Bagatz
•The petition was filed in December 2025
•Deadline for the state’s response — by October 4
•Petitioners — a group of dozens of young people
•The government decisions were adopted between 2005 and 2010
•The case number is not specified in the source

Who Applied to the Court

The participants in the proceeding include 19-year-old Mariel Aya Ay, and 20-year-olds John Ray Delisai and Moliv Vicente. They were born in Israel, studied here and view military service as a natural part of their lives in the country. Moliv also completed a year of community service and, after October 7, volunteered to assist Kibbutz Nirim.

Why the Dispute Arose

The IDF refused to enlist the young people, even though they say they want to serve, including in combat units. They note that people their age from families in similar circumstances succeeded in regularizing their status and enlisting thanks to previous government programs. For the petitioners, service is not only a contribution to national security but also recognition that they are part of Israeli society.

How the Previous Programs Operated

Between 2005 and 2010, the Israeli government adopted decisions in two stages that allowed children of foreign workers who had grown up in the country and studied in the Israeli education system to obtain permanent resident status, provided that they served in the IDF after turning 18. These measures were temporary and did not become a permanent statutory provision. The application deadline was limited, and five years later this option was discontinued entirely.

What Is Happening in the High Court of Justice

The petition was filed in December 2025 by attorneys Zari Hazan, Meital Lufolianski and Dror Strum. According to the source, the deadline for filing the response was postponed several times, and the state must now detail its position by October 4; the year of that date is not specified in the article. The IDF Spokesperson stated that the response would be provided as part of the legal proceeding, while Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the issue had not yet been brought before him. The court’s final ruling and the case number do not appear in the source.

What this means for you

For now, the proceeding has not created a new general right to enlistment for children of foreign workers who were born in Israel. The High Court of Justice’s decision may determine whether the state and the IDF must reconsider their approach toward young people who grew up in the country but did not take advantage of the previous temporary programs for regularizing status. Until a decision is issued, the practical arrangement remains unchanged.

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Case analysis based on court rulings