Six draft dodgers arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport after attempting to board plane illegally

Jerusalem Post/Israel News/Crime in IsraelAccording to the IAA, the six were caught in two separate incidents, with two of them caught by airport security in Terminal 1 and four caught in Terminal 3.Follow us on GooglePassengers scramble at Ben-Gurion Airport after a staff strike halted Israeli air travel, August 20, 2026(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 11:57Six people evading the IDF draft were arrested at Ben-Gurion Airport on Wednesday for attempting to avoid security measures and flee the country, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) announced.According to the IAA, the six were caught in two separate incidents, with two of them caught by airport security in Terminal 1 and four caught in Terminal 3.During the ensuing investigation by the Interior Ministry's Population and Immigration Authority, it was discovered that the six had IDF draft orders against them, which prevented them from leaving the country.The N12 news site reported that the six suspects were haredi (ultra-Orthodox).Haredi men are seen protesting the effort to draft ultra-Orthodox Israelis into the IDF. (credit: FLASH90)IDF advises draft evaders how to avoid arrestEarlier this month, an official IDF social media channel published a video advising haredi draft evaders how to avoid arrest at Ben-Gurion Airport.The video was later deleted after Army Radio reported it and the station asked the IDF about it.The video, published on the military's official Instagram channel for haredi service members, hardim.idf, came ahead of an expected surge of thousands of Israelis traveling to Uman, Ukraine, for the annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage.Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.Follow us on Google