As Israeli General Yitzhak Barik continues to warn that the army isn’t prepared for a new war, a leaked report revealed Sunday that one-third of the Israeli males and 44% of females avoid being drafted into the military.
Army chief of staff Aviv Kochavi ordered to set up an emergency plan to tackle this situation. The report, which was published in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, said the phenomenon of dodging conscription has widely spread.
To avoid the mandatory service, Israelis rely on a military law that allows recruits to receive an exemption on grounds of medical or health issues. According to Israeli law, any individual whose health standard is less than 21 points is exempted from the military service.
Some pretend to be suffering from anoia or disability to score low grades; an act seen by the Israeli army as extremely dangerous.
Army Personnel Directorate Head Maj Gen Moti Almoz dispatched a letter to the mental health officers over the matter, stressing that any exemption over an individual’s mental health should be made on professional and responsible bases.
The newspaper noted that the number of evaders continues to rise. In 2007 it was recorded at 25% and then it rose gradually from 26.9% in 2015 to 30% in 2018, reaching 32.9% last year.
Meanwhile, as one-third of youths get a mental exemption, a total of 15% of soldiers escape from the army during their service. The statistics indicate that around half of the Israeli youths don’t serve in the army or don’t finish their military service.
The newspaper also published a confidential report revealing that the 319th military intelligence battalion suffers a huge shortage which makes it incapable of stepping into battles. There is also a shortage of military vehicles that are used to transfer equipment.
Barik commented over the soldiers’ complaints, saying that they don’t want to admit that the army isn’t prepared for war.
