NGO Yisrael Hofsheet sent a letter to Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Monday calling to investigate the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men required by law to enlist for IDF service who are allegedly fraudulently attempting to bypass a sanction that will end state daycare subsidies.
According to a statement by Yisrael Hofsheet (“A Free Israel”) on Tuesday, the letter followed a Calcalist report revealing that subsidy applications were cross-checked with National Insurance Institute data for the first time this year.
This verification prevented the submission of falsified pay slips and reportedly caused significant pressure within the ultra-Orthodox community.
According to the statement, “The request details findings indicating that certain guidelines not only allow but even encourage the submission of false subsidy applications by exploiting regulatory loopholes. Each fraudulent claim amounts to tens of thousands of shekels that individuals have unlawfully attempted to obtain from the state.
“Furthermore, it highlights the severe harm this causes to the rule of law and the integrity of the public system, emphasizing the urgent need to enforce oversight measures to restore public trust,” the NGO wrote.
It also said it was “committed to monitoring developments and would demand an appropriate legal and public response to this issue.”
The request came amid reports by Ynet and others that the hassidic Agudat Yisrael faction was encouraging constituents to ignore conscription orders.
Encouraging 'businesses on paper'
Moreover, some reports indicated that politicians were encouraging yeshiva students to open businesses on paper to continue being eligible for subsidized state care. The subsidy is set to expire at the end of February for families whose father is a yeshiva student who has ignored draft orders.
A group of haredi extremists protested on Tuesday in downtown Jerusalem against the draft. One held a sign saying, “To prison, not to the army.”