One-third of Israeli Youth Avoid Military Service For ‘Mental Health' Reasons

Israeli soldiers carry their belongings in an area near the Israel-Lebanon border on January 29, 2015. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israeli soldiers carry their belongings in an area near the Israel-Lebanon border on January 29, 2015. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
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One-third of Israeli Youth Avoid Military Service For ‘Mental Health' Reasons

Israeli soldiers carry their belongings in an area near the Israel-Lebanon border on January 29, 2015. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
Israeli soldiers carry their belongings in an area near the Israel-Lebanon border on January 29, 2015. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

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.



Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
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Israel Attacks Yemeni Ports, Warns That Houthi Leader Is a Target

Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)
Smoke billows after Israeli strikes on Hodeidah port, Yemen, July 21, 2024. (Reuters file)

Israel struck Yemen's Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Salif on Friday, continuing its campaign to degrade Houthi military capabilities and warning that the group's top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, could be targeted if attacks on Israel persist.

The Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships.

Israel has carried out retaliatory strikes in response, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen's main airport in Sanaa and killed several people.

On Friday, the Israeli military said the ports of Hodeidah and Salif were being used to transfer weapons, reiterating its warnings to residents of those areas to evacuate.

Residents in Hodeidah said they heard four loud booms and saw smoke rising from the port following the Israeli strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement they would hunt down the Houthis' top leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

"If the Houthis continue to fire missiles at the State of Israel, they will be severely harmed, and we will also hurt the leaders," they said, adding that al-Houthi could join the list of militant figures killed by Israel, such as Hamas' Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

The Houthis are part of Iran's so-called "Axis of Resistance" against Israeli and US interests in the Middle East, alongside Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Houthis have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks toward Israel, most of which have been intercepted or landed short.