Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused the Netanyahu-led government of intentionally stalling the enlistment of bnei hayeshivos, claiming that this policy is directly responsible for the stalemate in Gaza. “The paralysis in Gaza stems from a conscious decision to deprive the IDF of its most vital resource: soldiers ready to fight,” Bennett wrote in a lengthy post on X. The former prime minister, who is rumored to be positioning himself for a political comeback, asserted that the IDF’s shortage of manpower is preventing a victory against Hamas. According to official figures, there are approximately 70,000 yeshivaleit between the ages of 18 and 24 who are legally eligible for military service but are currently not enlisted. Although the IDF sent out 18,915 initial draft notices to Charedim since July 2024 — in response to a High Court ruling mandating enforcement — only 232 have enlisted, with just 57 joining combat units. Meanwhile, Bennett noted, reservists across Israel — including businessmen, talmidim, engineers, and other professionals — have been pulled from their homes and workplaces, serving extended tours of duty. Even soldiers drafted since the war began are already on the frontlines, facing mortal danger in Gaza. Bennett pointed to the death of Police Officer Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane Hy”d, who fell in battle this past Friday in Gaza. “Hundreds of thousands of families live in dread, terrified for their sons’ safety,” Bennett wrote, “while an entire sector of the population rests comfortably.” He decried ministers who, despite having little or no combat experience themselves, issue proclamations demanding a full takeover of Gaza — even as they fail to provide the manpower needed to achieve such goals. Since the attacks of October 7th, the IDF has been stretched dangerously thin, with soldiers deployed not only in Gaza but also across Yehudah and Shomron in massive counterterrorism operations, as well as facing threats on the Lebanese and Syrian borders. “Never have we needed soldiers more than we do now,” Bennett said, claiming that the army currently lacks approximately 20,000 troops, including 7,000 combat soldiers. Emergency mobilizations of reservists — many serving hundreds of consecutive days — cannot be a long-term solution, Bennett argued. Instead, he proposed drafting even a modest proportion — one-fifth — of eligible Charedi men, which would allow reservists to return home and rebuild their strength for future large-scale conflicts. Nevertheless, Bennett charged, the government has failed to take meaningful action. He described the recent draft notices sent to Charedim as “a bluff,” accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of putting “political survival” ahead of national security. The stability of the coalition — which heavily relies on the support of Shas and UTJ, the two Charedi parties, who together hold 18 seats — has caused major obstacles to implementing such change. Despite the High Court’s ruling last year that long-standing draft exemptions are unlawful, the government is currently advancing a bill that would formally enshrine broad exemptions for bnei hayeshivos, which critics like Bennett have labeled the “evasion law.” IDF officials themselves admit the gap remains. Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein, head of the IDF’s Charedi recruitment office, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee this week that the army had hoped to recruit 4,800 Charedim during this draft cycle, but so far, only 1,721 have enlisted. […]