Israeli Draft Crisis Deepens As Families Vow to Resist Conscription

According to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth, citing polling conducted by the Conference on Security and Service Institute in cooperation with the Israeli Security Research Center, only 45% of Israeli parents said they support their children serving in the military.

Even among supporters, many insisted they have no desire to see their sons deployed in combat.

The survey, carried out last Thursday and Sunday, found that 41% of families are prepared to keep their children from conscription altogether if the proposed exemption for Haredi conscripts becomes law.

Another 44% warned the measure would weaken motivation to enlist, while 27% said it would lead to outright disobedience.

Ofer Shelah, a former Knesset member and researcher at the Security Research Center, stated that since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has lost 900 troops by official count.

He noted no precise figure exists for the wounded, though reports indicate thousands have suffered injuries, many of them severe enough to prevent returning to duty.

Shelah added that these losses are only the beginning and will have profound implications for Israeli regime’s workforce.

He said the regime is facing unprecedented variables requiring a much larger military presence to secure settlements near Gaza and in the north, while also guarding the eastern borders with Division 96 against possible militia infiltration.

The army has proposed extending mandatory male service to 36 months starting January 2024, a demand political leaders privately admit the public will not accept.

With ultra-Orthodox factions rejecting all compromise, the burden of defense is falling more heavily on those who remain willing to serve.

The Israeli military remains mired in severe structural deficiencies that analysts warn are eroding its long-term effectiveness, even as the regime’s aggressive policies and occupation deepen security threats across the region.