IDF faces looming manpower gap as ultra-Orthodox draft fight stalls service extension
Israel’s military manpower crisis is expected to deepen unless legislation extending mandatory service advances separately from the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) draft bill, as the IDF faces a widening gap between wartime operational needs and the number of soldiers available to meet them.
Defense officials raised a red flag on Sunday that by the end of the year, units could face a severe manpower shortage, with an emphasis on a lack of thousands of regular-service combat soldiers.
The issue has become more urgent as the haredi conscription bill returned to the Knesset agenda on Sunday, ahead of its final readings and amid a coalition crisis over a possible vote to dissolve the Knesset.
While the haredi draft bill has become one of the central political fights threatening Netanyahu’s coalition, defense officials have also pushed for a separate extension of mandatory service, arguing that the current model no longer matches the demands placed on the military since October 7.
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