draft refusal

Ultra-Orthodox men being sprayed with a police water cannon during a protest against the imprisonment of yeshiva students who failed to comply with army draft orders, in Jerusalem, June 1, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The Haredi draft revolt threatening to bring Israel to a standstill

As the government seeks to enforce military service for all, ultra-Orthodox refusal is revealing cracks in the country’s militaristic consensus.

By Eli Bitan June 23, 2026

Daniel Schultz. (Oren Ziv)

‘The most human thing to do’: Israeli teen sentenced to jail for army refusal

Daniel Schultz, 18, grew up believing Israel's military was ‘the most moral’ in the world. Now she’s going to prison to avoid serving in it.

By Oren Ziv October 28, 2025

Conscientious objector Ben Arad, April 1, 2024. (Oren Ziv)

Israeli teen jailed for refusing draft: ‘I’m willing to pay a price for my principles’

Ben Arad, 18, is the third conscientious objector imprisoned since October 7. He tells +972 why Israel’s assault on Gaza propelled him into action.

By Oren Ziv April 5, 2024

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Sofia Orr. (Oren Ziv)

‘People say I’m naive, antisemitic, a traitor’: Israeli teen jailed for draft refusal

Conscientious objector Sofia Orr explains why she never wavered in her decision despite the crackdown in Israel against opponents of the war.

By Oren Ziv February 26, 2024

File photo of Matan Helman (Photo by Edo Ramon/Mesarvot)

‘With my head held high’: Conscientious objector freed after 110 days in prison

The Israeli army had sentenced Helman to six separate prison sentences for his refusal to be conscripted into the military and, in his words, ‘take part in the occupation and Israel’s policies of oppression vis-a-vis the Palestinians.’ Conscientious objector Matan Helman was discharged from the Israeli army on Thursday after six stints in prison adding…

By Orly Noy April 27, 2018

Israeli conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba. (Yona Benstein)

IDF releases conscientious objector after 110 days in prison

Atalya Ben-Abba went to prison rather than be conscripted into the Israeli army because of her refusal to take part in the occupation. By +972 Magazine Staff The Israeli army released conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba from mandatory military service on Tuesday after she spent 110 days in military prison for refusing to be drafted. Ben-Abba…

By +972 Magazine June 27, 2017

Israeli conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba. (Yona Benstein)

Israeli army jails conscientious objector for fourth time

Atalya Ben-Abba, 19, has already served 80 days in jail for refusing to enlist in the IDF and participate in the occupation. Israeli conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba, 19, was on Wednesday sentenced to a fourth stint in jail for refusing to enlist in the IDF. She has already spent 80 days in prison. Ben-Abba, a…

By Orly Noy May 25, 2017

Israeli conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba. (Yona Benstein)

Conscientious objector jailed by Israeli army for third time

Atalya Ben-Abba, 19, has already spent 50 days in prison for refusing to serve in the IDF, and has now been sentenced to a further 30 days. Conscientious objector Atalya Ben-Abba, 19, was on Tuesday sentenced to a third stint in prison after reporting to the Tel Hashomer military induction base and refusing to enlist…

By Orly Noy April 19, 2017

A ‘thank you’ sign sent by Israeli children hangs on an IDF tank. (Ran Zisovitch / Shutterstock.com)

When IDF conscription begins at age three

An education system that brings an inherently violent organization in through the front door is failing at its most basic obligation. This policy is the first injection of militarism, ultimately meant to prevent our children from becoming critical citizens. Ten years ago, when my oldest daughter was five years old, I already had the honor…

By Orly Noy February 16, 2015

IDF soldiers walk through Hebron. (photo: Activestills)

IDF commander dismisses Unit 8200 refuseniks

‘These operations, and not our letter, are what make military service political.’ The 43 reservist soldiers who refused to serve in the IDF respond to their dismissal. The commander of the IDF’s highly prestigious 8200 intelligence unit dismissed all 43 reservist soldiers who previously declared their refusal to serve in a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu last…

By Mairav Zonszein January 26, 2015

Uriel Ferera, 19-year-old orthodox Jew from Beer Sheva, enters Tel Ha'Shomer Military Base, where he will announce his refusal to draft to Israeli army service, April 27, 2014. Uriel says he refuses to take part in the occupation and that his request for civil service instead of a military one was rejected by the army.

Freed Israeli conscientious objector: They tried to break me

Uriel Ferera says he doesn’t feel like he lost the 177 days that he spent in military prison. ‘The opposite. I fought for my principles — to not lend a hand to the occupation.’ By Daniel Beller After 177 days in Israeli military prison and 10 trials, ideological conscientious objector Uriel Ferera is a free man. When…

By +972 Magazine December 23, 2014

Druze conscientious objector Urawa Jaleb Saif, June 15, 2014, Haifa. (Photo by Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

[WATCH] Druze refusal in the Israeli army (part 1): A history lesson

According to the mainstream Israeli narrative the Druze population in Israel is loyal to and maintains an alliance with the state, the most famous element of which includes mandatory military service. But is that really the whole story? The first episode in a four-part series looking at Druze in Israel, their relationship with the security…

By Social TV November 16, 2014

Israeli tanks on the Israel-Gaza border. (photo: Activestills.org)

Who are the Israelis refusing the call of Protective Edge?

On Saturday evening, another anti-war demonstration was held in Tel Aviv. A few hundred people marched and chanted and hoped that rumors of a drawdown were true. With minimal numbers and attention, the demonstrations have had little impact. But there doesn’t seem much else that those opposed to the war can do. Soldiers and reservists…

By Dahlia Scheindlin August 4, 2014