Some 260 haredi (ultra-Orthodox) young men enlisted in the IDF on Tuesday, the first day of the current combat recruitment cycle, marking an increase of about 30% compared with the equivalent recruitment day last year.
Last year, 198 haredi men enlisted on the first day of the corresponding recruitment cycle. The latest figure also represents an increase compared with the previous recruitment cycle, when 211 haredi young men enlisted on its first day.
According to the figures, more than 100 of the recruits joined the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, while more than 30 enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade, a figure that has not been seen in this track for some time.
Another 75 recruits joined the Hasmonean Brigade, the haredi brigade established by the IDF. Defense officials estimate that the number joining the brigade will rise further over the coming days.
Recruitment targets expected to be hit
Additional haredi recruits were assigned to several other destinations and tracks across the IDF. Current assessments indicate that some of the tracks are expected to meet the recruitment targets set by the head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa.
The figures come amid efforts to expand haredi enlistment in the IDF and increase the number serving in combat tracks, as the public and political debate over the conscription of yeshiva students continues.