The IDF announced Tuesday evening that 13 additional Chabad-Lubavtich yeshiva students, who initially refused to cooperate with enlistment procedures and were sent to military prison, have signed declarations expressing their willingness to enlist in the IDF.
The 13 join 27 students who had already expressed their willingness to enlist earlier Tuesday, were found fit for military service, received suspended sentences, and were released; the total number of arrested Chabad yeshiva students who have agreed to enlist is now 40 out of 42.
According to the military's update, the 40 students are expected to begin formal enlistment procedures in the near future and be assigned to various military service tracks designated for the haredi community.
Two additional students, who had evaded military service for more than 540 days, were sent directly to military prison.
The incident began Tuesday morning when dozens of Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva students returning to Israel after a year of study at the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in New York were arrested at Ben Gurion Airport by Military Police officers for failing to regularize their status with the military authorities.
In its initial statement, the IDF reported that 42 students had faced disciplinary proceedings for evading military service. Of those, 27 expressed willingness to enlist, were found fit for service, and received suspended sentences. Another 13 initially refused to cooperate with the enlistment process and were sent to military prison.
Later, those 13 agreed to enlist, received suspended sentences, and were released, leaving only two of the arrested Chabad yeshiva students refusing to serve.
For years, the IDF had an agreement with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, under which Chabad hasidim served in the IDF after returning from their year of studies in New York, and usually after marriage as well. Recently, the agreement came under the spotlight and was canceled, leading to draft-evasion issues for the movement's yeshiva students.
In recent months, Ben Gurion Airport has become a focal point for enforcement against young haredi men returning from abroad after failing to regularize their status with military authorities.
The arrests have sparked protests and public criticism, particularly from representatives of the haredi community.