Israel Police reported 143 cases in which draft evaders detained during random encounters with police officers were released because IDF personnel allegedly failed to arrive within the required time, according to a document from the Attorney-General's Office dated Monday that summarized a meeting on draft enforcement. Military Police representatives said at the meeting that they were unfamiliar with the figures.
The document, summarizing a meeting held on October 14 and chaired by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Gil Limon, outlined a series of shortcomings in enforcement operations and coordination between the authorities.
The meeting was held ahead of an update to the High Court of Justice in petitions concerning the implementation of its ruling on the conscription of yeshiva students.
According to figures provided by Israel Police, the 143 releases occurred between July 1 and October 12. The draft evaders were released with a "summons to report to the recruitment authorities," rather than being transferred to the Military Police.
Under the procedure described in the document, the IDF had committed to meeting police officers within half an hour.
Limon said the number of people released was high and "could indicate a failure in the implementation of the joint working procedure."
Police were instructed to provide the Military Police with details of the cases so the IDF could investigate them, draw lessons, and take steps to reduce the phenomenon. An update on the matter was requested by November 1.
At the same time, police reported that 14 draft evaders had been arrested during random encounters over the same period. The document does not explicitly clarify the relationship between that figure and the 143 release cases.
Joint arrest operation postponed as police demand for significant reinforcement
Another central finding concerns a joint IDF and police enforcement operation that had been scheduled for October but was postponed for the second time.
According to the document, the postponement followed a police demand for substantial reinforcements involving hundreds of IDF soldiers as a condition for approving the operation.
IDF representatives said the demand was impractical and inconsistent with the division of responsibilities and authority between the two organizations.
According to the military representatives, the IDF is responsible for carrying out the arrests themselves, while dealing with disturbances of public order falls under the responsibility of Israel Police.
Major gaps in enforcement between Israel Police, the IDF exposed by the document
Limon emphasized that responsibility for maintaining public order during enforcement operations rests with Israel Police.
He further clarified that, under the court's ruling, enforcement operations cannot be made conditional on the allocation of IDF soldiers to public-order duties, as distinct from assigning the soldiers required to carry out the arrests.
"The situation described is inconsistent with the state's obligation to combat the phenomenon of draft evasion," the document stated.
The IDF and police were instructed to promptly formulate a framework that would allow proactive enforcement operations to resume and to provide a detailed update by November 1.
Alongside the joint operations, which have not taken place for some time, the IDF said the Military Police conducts targeted arrest operations every week in various parts of the country as part of an organized work plan.
However, the document emphasized that "in practice, these amount to only a handful of arrests."
The document also identified gaps in enforcement at border crossings.
According to figures already presented in the summary of the previous meeting, more than 200 people subject to mandatory military service were arrested in September.
In 64 cases, draft evaders were arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport upon returning to Israel after they had not been identified as being subject to military service when leaving the country.
Conflicting reports between authorities about 64 cases at Ben-Gurion Airport
The Population and Immigration Authority said the cases had been referred to the police for investigation on suspicion of "illegal border crossing."
However, in its response to the meeting summary, Israel Police said it was unaware of any such reports having been received from the authority.
The matter is expected to be examined at another meeting involving representatives of the Population and Immigration Authority, the IDF, and Israel Police.
The document further revealed that, despite a request included in the summary of an August meeting, the IDF has yet to provide a document detailing the criteria used to decide whether draft evaders are released at border crossings.
"It has not been clarified what criteria are used to determine which draft evader is permitted to travel abroad or return home and which draft evader is arrested," the document stated.
The IDF was again instructed to provide the document before the next meeting on the matter.