Israeli doctors threaten to leave country if haredi draft exemption is approved

Swathes of doctors have threatened to leave Israel due to the refusal by ultra-Orthodox Jews (haredim) to be drafted into the IDF, according to a document published on Sunday.

The document was written and signed by a thousand senior doctors, most of whom are the heads of medical centers or departments, and called on the government and members of Knesset to take action for equality by drafting haredim into the IDF.

They described the refusal of Israel's ultra-Orthodox community to serve in the military as "destructive to our future." They called for the implementation of a new national socio-economic strategy to help put the country back on a sustainable path to the future.

What did the doctors' warning say?

The letter stated: "Even in the State of Israel's darkest hour, the health system continues to be a strong pillar of support, working tirelessly to ensure the health and well-being of Israeli citizens. But... the resilience of Israel's economy and public services are now in question due to the growing inequality in the burden of military service, public service, and tax payments. The state's continued existence, in light of the security threats and domestic challenges it faces, depends to a large extent on the participation of all demographics in sharing the burden of civic duties." 

"We, senior doctors in the Israeli health system, strongly oppose the legislative initiative that will perpetuate inequality in sharing this burden, and significantly increase the number of reservist duty days for the Israeli public that does serve in the military," the statement continued. "According to the recently submitted bill, the number of annual reserve duty days is expected to increase significantly – up yo 42 days per year for those serving till the age of 45, and up 55 days for officers up till the age of 50 and doctors up till the age 52." 

"About half of medical students, interns, and residents are active reservist personnel," the doctors continued. "They are the backbone of Israeli society, and the healthcare system in particular. Normally, they contribute their time and energy to promoting a better and fair society. In times of crisis, they put themselves in danger for the greater good. Extending their reservist duty will severely harm the availability of expert doctors and impair the training of medical students and interns."

"Equality in sharing the burden is a cornerstone of a just and democratic society and is a necessary condition for social solidarity and the existence of the State of Israel. This new bill is destructive. In recent months... we are witnessing doctors leaving the country."

The document also warned about the long-term effects on the healthcare system, which are already starting to manifest slowly.

"This is a 'quiet' phenomenon but is felt strongly in the corridors of the healthcare system and outside of it – in business, tech, and academia. There is a real danger that those who stay in Israel will be less educated and less productive, and the subsequent downward spiral will encourage the working and educated public to emigrate until the state is drained of the human resources necessary for its continued existence."

The doctors concluded in their warning: "We call on the government, the Knesset, and all leaders in the country to immediately cease any actions detrimental to our future here and to act to implement a national socio-economic strategy to put Israel back on a sustainable path to the future."