MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism sharply attacked the IDF after the military released new figures showing a shortage of roughly 12,000 soldiers, accusing army leadership of turning the military into what he described as a political weapon against bnei Torah.
Porush claimed senior officers were allowing legal advisers to dictate policy and said “the army has become a political tool in the hands of those persecuting Torah learners.” He argued that the military establishment was ignoring recommendations from a professional advisory panel that supported exempting yeshiva students who commit to three daily sedorim of Torah study.
The criticism followed a recent IDF briefing revealing that the military is currently short approximately 12,000 troops, including between 6,000 and 7,500 combat soldiers. Defense officials warned that the manpower shortage could deepen dramatically if mandatory service is reduced to 30 months.
Military officials stressed that without broader enlistment legislation — particularly involving the charedi sector — the IDF could face a serious personnel crisis within a relatively short period of time.
According to the army, the ongoing fighting across seven active fronts has forced standing troops into nearly constant operational service, while reservists are being called up for significantly more duty days than initially anticipated.
During the past two years, the IDF expanded its force structure by adding nine armored companies, an engineering battalion, a Home Front Command battalion and an additional charedi battalion, while simultaneously enlarging reserve force capabilities.
Data presented by the military also showed that out of approximately 80,000 people categorized as being involved in “draft-evasion processes,” roughly half are from the charedi community, while another quarter are believed to belong to the same sector. In July 2025, the Chief of Staff ordered draft notices sent to all eligible charedi recruits and appointed Brigadier General Avinoam Amona as adviser on charedi matters.
At the same time, enlistment numbers among charedim have steadily risen. Approximately 2,200 charedim entered military service in 2023, followed by 2,800 in 2024. During the first six months of 2025, about 1,850 enlisted, and officials estimate the yearly figure could surpass 3,000 by the end of the year.
Responding to the military’s presentation, Porush said the IDF’s public statements indicate that “certain elements have decided to turn the military into a political instrument against Torah scholars.”
He also referred to an advisory committee established by then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with backing from former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The committee, headed by a retired major general and composed of senior officers, reportedly recommended protecting full-time yeshiva students who maintain intensive daily Torah study schedules.
Escalating his criticism further, Porush accused military leaders and legal officials of waging “a campaign against Torah learners” and using public briefings as part of an effort to block any compromise arrangement based on the committee’s recommendations.
Speaking during a recent session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee attended by the Chief of Staff, Porush challenged the military’s approach toward drafting yeshiva students and questioned why the army was ignoring the professional conclusions reached by the advisory panel.
{Matzav.com}
“Approximately 2,200 charedim entered military service in 2023, followed by 2,800 in 2024. During the first six months of 2025, about 1,850 enlisted, and officials estimate the yearly figure could surpass 3,000 by the end of the year.”
Don’t be fooled. These are not our charedim, like Litvish, Chassidic or Sfardim. These are Netzach Yehudah, Chetz, and such kinds. Just a few of our charedim joined the army.
the compulsory draft should be abolished and replaced by a professional army, as in civilised countries. the state of israel, by waging war against the tora world, has lost the merit of supporting tora study. the result will be military fefeat!
Naftali
This is the most ridiculous clueless comment that I have read in years. First of all, the State of Israel is at war, and therefore every single citizen should be serving, open a Tanach and you will see that ALL, I repeat ALL, Jewish Governments had an army. As Moshe Rabbeinu said האחיכם יבוא למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה! Learning Torah was not an exemption even in Moshe’s Army. Second of all, this notion that” the State of Israel is waging war against the tora world” is an unmitigated lie. There are more moisdois Ha’Torah in the State than any where in the entire world, more Torah is learned in Israel than anywhere else in the world. This year alone the Zionist Government granted 800 million shekel to Moisdois Ha’Torah, last week, another 90 million was added to the 800, Never has any Zionist stopped any Jew from learning Torah, ever! Again, those eligible should serve; it’s our country there are hundreds of thousands learning torah beside those aged 18- 25 years old.
Actually it is is not his comment, but yours, that is “ridiculous”.
Their wars have nothing to do with the chareidim, and the chareidim, a century ago, actually begged them to leave and not to start up and cause problems yet they ignored the chareidim.
Even if they did have to fight, they cannot do so in that army, which is yehareig vial yaavor.
The number of Torah organizations there doesn’t change the reality that they are fighting the Torah.
we will not serve, we dont care
What will you do when arab armies are at your door?
Give a shtarkeh tephila.
@Naftali, The Zionist State did not support Torah learning at all in 1967 and they won the six day war.
The only reason why Israel ever wins anything is only in the merit of the tzaddikim and the many good flawed albeit sincere Jews davening for Am Yisrael.
Any manpower shortage is a direct result of the IDF’s terrible management of this war.
The top-brass knowingly endangers soldiers, creates impossible conditions which virtually guarantee friendly-fire incidents and also vulnerability to Gazan terrorist attackers, plus fatal malfunctions of equipment.
Secular Israeli generals and other high-rankers have been speaking out about this; it’s not just me.
The IDF top-brass burns through its troops, creating deaths, amputees, and PTSD-sufferers – none of whom can ever go back to war. So they want to replenish this lack caused by their traitorous leadership.
General Yaniv Asor of the Southern Command complained to the head of Israel’s Air Force that he was constantly sabotaging General Asor’s orders and harming Israeli soldiers.
So if the IDF really cared about any perceived manpower shortage, they know what they can do (and should have been doing all along).