Nahal and Kfir Brigade recruits at the Tel Hashomer induction base, this month. "There's no public discussion about the desirable size of the army, " says Prof. Levy. Credit: Gil Cohen-MagenThe IDF may not be short of troops, and the Haredim may not be the answer. But Israelis' anger over the unequal burden leaves no room for alternatives11:03 PM • August 20 2026 IDTNimrod Degani, a former senior official in the Education Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, rocked social media this month with a provocative question: Why draft the Haredim, the country's ultra-Orthodox Jews, given the fact that the Israel Defense Forces actually has soldiers in abundance?In the NewsThe Israeli Army Has Plenty of Soldiers. Why Is It Determined to Draft Haredim?Israeli Indicted After Allegedly Attacking Palestinian, Running Over His SheepThe More Neglect Israeli Arabs Face, the More They Move to Jewish TownsThe U.S. Peace Plan Is Grave for Gaza and Great for NetanyahuHigh Court Unanimously Strikes Down Netanyahu Gov't Army Radio ClosureRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIShe's the Superstar of the Israeli Left, and She Wants PowerIDF Marks Detained Palestinians With Numbers as Northern West Bank Raids ExpandIsrael Police Say Missing Israeli Mother and Daughter Found in ArgentinaThe American Jewish Establishment Is Defending an Israel That No Longer ExistsReality Check: As the Election Nears, Haaretz Debunks Israeli Politicians' Biggest LiesSo Will It Be a Problem if Miriam Adelson Flies to Israel to Vote?