7,000 Israeli soldiers abscond every year

New data issued by the Israeli army showed that about 7,000 Israeli soldiers fail to complete their military service mostly under the medical and psychological pretexts, Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed yesterday.

The data also revealed that 22 per cent of soldiers left the army, including 14.6 per cent males and 7.4 per cent females.

Ultra Orthodox Jewish people stage a protest against compulsory military service in Jerusalem on March 28, 2017 – [Gil Cohen Magen – Anadolu Agency]

Army sources have said that the actual number of soldiers who abscond or do not continue their conscription is higher however the army is not reporting the full details.

To avoid military service, obligatory after the completion of secondary school, many Israeli families send their children abroad.

Last month, thousands of Orthodox Jews protested in Jerusalem against mandatory military conscription, considering it a reason for deviation.

They raised placard reading: “Conscription is the real holocaust for Judaism, according to the holy book” and “The state of Israel persecutes Jews.”

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