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MembersWhy not let Haredim serve in Israeli weapons factories?

The country needs more manpower, and it’s a compromise for those who cannot countenance being drafted into the formal military.

Haredi men in the northern Israeli city of Safed block clash with police during a protest against the jailing of seminary students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, June 1, 2026. Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90.

(JNS) Think about it. The Israel Defense Forces isn’t only suffering from a shortage of front-line troops. It also faces a grave shortage of munitions: guns, bullets, mortars, drones, artillery shells, missiles, interceptors and the like.

Israel must massively expand its domestic weapons industry, but it needs more workers to do so. At the same time, the governing coalition has collapsed under the weight of the Haredi military exemption.

Here’s a solution for both problems: Let Haredi men work in Israeli arms factories without being drafted, and count hours worked toward mandatory national service. This enables them to meet one of Israel’s vital defense needs without submitting to the control of a military establishment they don’t trust.

In the 10 months after Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, the United States sent Israel more than 50,000 tons of equipment and munitions. That includes 4,100 tons of jet fuel, 57,000 artillery shells, 36,000 rounds of heavy ammunition, 20,000 rifles, 13,980 anti-tank missiles and 21,500 bombs. According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, these...

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Patrick Callahan

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