Despite an agreement with the attorney general, Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties are worried the military police will arrest draft deserters on election day after dozens of yeshiva students were detained at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday.
Senior figures in United Torah Judaism and Shas say they can no longer trust assurances from legal authorities following today’s mass arrest of Chabad yeshiva students heading to New York for a year of study at the Rebbe’s court.
The parties fear that despite commitments, military police will be stationed near polling places in heavily ultra-Orthodox areas on election day to identify and arrest those classified as deserters. “If they’re arresting them at the airport on their way to study, what will stop them from arresting them on their way to vote?” a senior party official said.
Ultra-Orthodox parties stress this would directly violate the fundamental right to vote and be elected, and that the fear alone could suppress turnout in the Haredi sector. They argue that any enforcement action on election day—even outside the polling station itself—creates a chilling effect and intimidates voters.
The concern is amplified by the fact that most of those arrested today are defined as being in the process of arranging their status with the IDF and intend to enlist, not as draft dodgers.
In July, the Central Elections Committee announced it would not conduct enforcement operations regarding draft deserters on election day. The decision was reached with the agreement of committee chairman Justice Noam Solberg, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and Police Commissioner Danny Levy, to ensure every citizen’s right to vote without fear.
The Elections Committee clarified this evening that the decision remains in effect and is designed to ensure every citizen can exercise their right to vote without concern.