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
TT

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 Says it Carried Out Warning Strike on 'Extremists' in Syria Threatening Druze

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
TT

Israel Says it Carried Out Warning Strike on 'Extremists' in Syria Threatening Druze

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI

The Israeli military carried out a warning strike against "extremists" preparing to attack members of the Druze minority in the Syrian town of Sahnaya, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday in a joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz.

"The IDF (military) carried out a warning action and struck the organization of an extremist group preparing to attack the Druze population in the town of Sahnaya, in the Damascus region of Syria," said the statement.

The Israeli announcement came after an eruption of deadly sectarian violence in predominantly Druze areas near Damascus.

The Israeli statement also said a message "was passed on to the Syrian regime - Israel expects it to act in order to prevent harm to the Druze."

A spokesman for Syria's interior ministry, speaking to Reuters from Sahnaya said he had no indication that an attack had taken place.