Exemption from military service in Israel
Exemption from military service in Israel is covered by the Israeli Security Service Law, which regulates the process of Israeli military conscription. Per the law, an Israeli citizen who is drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) may be exempted if an evaluation finds them to meet specific criteria. The IDF's conscription laws only apply to three communities: the Jews, the Druze, and the Circassians. Both men and women are drafted from the Jewish community, whereas only men are drafted from the Druze and Circassian communities.
Grounds for all draftees:
- Expatriate status
- Medical or psychological issues
- Conscientious objection
- Criminal record (subject to review)
Grounds for male draftees only:
- Under a special government arrangement (Torato Umanuto) specifically for Haredi Jews, male Haredi students who are issued a draft notice may postpone their service by six months; they may also be granted a total exemption from service so long as they remain enrolled at their yeshiva for religious studies, as enshrined in the Tal Law
Grounds for female Jewish draftees only:
- Marriage, pregnancy, or motherhood, in accordance with §39 of the Security Service Law
- Religious commitments, in accordance with §39 and §40 of the Security Service Law
Additionally, Arab citizens of Israel (who constitute about 21% of the Israeli population) are also exempted from military service. This exemption does not originate via Israeli statutory law, but is instead based on the guidelines of the IDF Human Resource Department, issued under the IDF's discretionary powers pursuant to the law. As a result, Arab Muslims, Arab Christians, and Bedouins are not conscripted, though all of them may still serve voluntarily. Among Israel's non-Druze and non-Circassian minorities, the Bedouin community has been notable for their voluntary contributions to service in the IDF.