Israel mandates 3 years military service for males (and 2 years for women) from all its citizens starting at the age of 18. After fulfilling their duty, citizens must spend approximately 1 month a year serving int he IDF reserves. However, many Israelis avoid military service through a variety of ways, most prominently by claiming religious objections. The ultra-orthodox religious Jews believe that their ‘prayers’ serve the country and they opt to perform community service en lieu of their mandatory conscription.
Against this backdrop, the IDF recently denied a request for military deferment to an Israeli soccer star, ordering him to attend basic training. Soccer player Ben Sahar, who recently signed a deal with RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, claimed that he could not leave pre-season preparations to serve because it would significantly damage his career with the soccer club.
As Defense Minister, Ehud Barak has previously stated that he would crack-down on deferments from the military and increase enlistment rates. Suffice it to say, it’s interesting to see when the IDF grants and denies military exemptions.
*Photo from the ynetnews.com website.
