Survey Shows Surge in Support for Drafting Haredim Into Israeli Military
A new survey conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) reveals a significant shift in Israeli public opinion on ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) military conscription, highlighting growing support for drafting members of the Haredi community into the Israel Defense Forces. The findings reflect changes in attitudes following the October 7, 2023 attacks and the ongoing security challenges faced by the country.
The survey, conducted in November 2024, shows that 84.5% of the non-Haredi Jewish public now supports some form of Haredi enlistment, a sharp increase from 67% in January. Support for maintaining the current policy, which exempts most Haredim from military service, dropped to just 9%, compared to 22% earlier in the year. Among religious Zionist Israelis, support for conscription doubled from 36.5% to 72.5%, with many favoring a comprehensive draft or economic penalties for noncompliance.
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The study also highlights a disparity in perspectives within the Haredi community itself. While 61% of Haredi respondents support maintaining the status quo, only 20% expressed support for conscription in any form. The data indicates that public pressure for change has grown alongside heightened security demands, with 81% of non-Haredi respondents saying that the war has intensified the need for Haredi enlistment.
Shlomit Ravitzky Tur-Paz, who led the study, stated that the findings underscore a broader debate about the balance between equality in service obligations and respect for cultural and religious traditions. The survey, based on a representative sample of 756 Israeli adults, was conducted as part of a broader IDI initiative to examine shared society in Israel.
