Gallant approves issuance of 7,000 draft orders for haredim to join IDF

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the issuance of 7,000 additional draft orders for haredim, Israeli media reported Monday evening.

Gallant discussed the issue of haredi recruitment with the IDF on Monday with Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Amir Baram, head of the Manpower Directorate Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi. 

In the discussion, the IDF officials presented a summary of the data of the first wave of recruitment as well as "lessons" from the first wave of 3,000 draft orders that were sent, during which only a small percentage of recruited haredim reported to service, N12 reported. At the end of this meeting, Gallant approved the issuance of the draft orders for an initial screening and evaluation process. 

"The increase in the number of orders is intended to meet the goal set for recruitment," N12 reported the defense minister saying.

The IDF began the process of drafting military-age haredi men in mid-July. The IDF originally intended to send out a thousand draft orders in three waves to meet its goal of 3,000 haredi draftees in 2024, in addition to the 1,800 already slated to join the military. There have been protests against drafting haredim throughout the recruitment process, and due to the lack of haredim who show up to service, the IDF has reassessed the necessary number of haredim to recruit to meet its enlistment goals.

The IDF's need for more soldiers

Gallant remarked, "The war and the challenges facing us illustrate the IDF's need for more soldiers. This is a real operational need that requires a broad national mobilization from all parts of society," N12 reported. 

Earlier, on Monday, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi was presented with the status on the establishment of the haredi brigade, named the "Hashmonayim" Brigade, the IDF announced. This brigade is intended to allow haredim to enlist for combat service while maintaining their lifestyles. 

So far, the process of recruiting the command staff and setting up the infrastructure to receive the haredi recruits of the first company in December has been completed, according to the IDF. 

Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.