Israeli AG Rejects Plans Allowing Haredi Draft Dodgers Pilgrimage to Uman

Israeli Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara have firmly stated that the government lacks the legal authority to create any plan allowing ultra-Orthodox men who evade military service to leave Israel for the annual pilgrimage to Uman, Ukraine, or other destinations during the High Holidays. Such a plan would interfere with law enforcement activities and contradict the state's duty to enforce conscription equally. Despite political pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties, including Shas leader Aryeh Deri and United Torah Judaism chair Yitzhak Goldknopf, who argue the pilgrimage is a religious obligation, the Attorney General's Office has deemed any mechanism to exempt draft dodgers from enforcement illegal. The IDF is reportedly preparing to station military police at border crossings and airports to enforce conscription laws strictly. Ultra-Orthodox leaders and activists have criticized the Attorney General's stance, warning of potential protests if flights are blocked. Opposition figures and civil society groups support the Attorney General's position, warning that the government must uphold the law without exemptions.