IDF Manpower Division head Colonel Shay Tayeb told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday that anyone who evaded military conscription and broke the law is a candidate for prosecution. He added that the army's policy is to welcome those who wish to enlist, while noting that most draft evaders who come to regularize their status receive a suspended sentence. Separately, Tayeb revealed that a year ago, Operation 'Starting Anew' enlisted 110 soldiers.
Colonel Shay Tayeb, head of the IDF Manpower Division (חטיבת כוח האדם – a brigade-level directorate overseeing personnel, enlistment, and discipline), briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday, June 30, at 15:05 Jerusalem time. His remarks covered two distinct themes: deterrence for draft evaders and a successful enlistment operation.
Tayeb stated explicitly that anyone who was a draft evader (משתמט) and violated the law is now a candidate for criminal prosecution. However, he emphasized that the IDF's policy is accommodating toward those who wish to serve — most evaders who voluntarily come forward to regularize their status receive a suspended sentence, not active prison time. This nuanced approach balances legal enforcement with a pathway to service.
Separately, Tayeb disclosed that about a year ago, the army conducted Operation 'Starting Anew' (מבצע "מתחילים מחדש"), which resulted in the enlistment of 110 soldiers. The operation appears to have been a targeted drive to integrate draft evaders into service rather than a mass call-up. No further details on the operation's scope, duration, or the units the soldiers joined were provided.
The committee hearing was closed to cameras; only Tayeb's quoted remarks have been published. The Zioneer has not previously covered this specific hearing or the 'Starting Anew' operation.
2 developments
- DevelopingOver 120 alleged draft dodgers assigned to Haredi tracks in IDF
- DevelopingIDF personnel chief opposes bill freezing arrests of yeshiva draft evaders
- DevelopingIDF Personnel Chief calls for extending mandatory service to 36 months
- StrongIDF official says army made 'unprecedented moves' to integrate Haredim in recent years
Source and signal
- Internal intake