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| Israeli hikers before the terrorist attack on them July 24 |
by Melanie Philips
This is how murderous Arab attacks against Jewish residents in the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria, aka the “West Bank”, are being reframed as Jewish “settler violence” against Arabs by enemies of the Jewish people.
Last Friday morning, a group of Jewish hikers walked into the village of Tel in Area B, an area under joint Israeli-Palestinian Authority security control and where Israelis aren’t allowed to enter without prior co-ordination, not having been cleared by the IDF to do so.
According to accounts by Jewish community organizations and in the Israeli media, verified by video footage, they came under attack from Arabs throwing stones and swinging clubs, striking one hiker in the face. The hikers fired warning shots in the air and retreated towards Israeli-controlled Area C.
One hour later, dozens of Arabs converged upon them from three directions. IDF soldiers arrived, the Arabs started shooting but, according to the hikers, the Israeli soldiers refused to open fire. Video footage shows them hesitating in an attempt to de-escalate. Only when an Arab wrestled a rifle from a civilian guard and shot dead (warning: distressing footage) an IDF soldier and a civilian guard did the IDF troops open fire, killing four Arabs.
“I am an Arab woman and a Muslim, belonging to my community and culture, and at the same time, I am proud of performing my duty as a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces.”
The number of haredi recruits joining the IDF has risen steadily in recent years, according to data from the IDF Manpower Directorate published by Yedioth Ahronoth. The figures show annual increases of more than 1,000 recruits, reflecting a significant shift in enlistment trends.
According to the report, several factors have contributed to the rise, including growing public pressure amid the army's severe manpower shortage, Supreme Court rulings that led to stricter enforcement of enlistment obligations, and a transition from institutional sanctions to measures targeting individuals.
Before the outbreak of the war, the IDF enlisted approximately 1,700 haredi recruits each year. That number increased to about 2,200 during the first year of the war through July 2024, climbed to roughly 2,800 by July 2025, and has now surpassed 4,000 recruits over the past year.
The IDF says it has introduced a range of initiatives aimed at accommodating haredi service members while preserving their religious lifestyle. These include the establishment of the Hashmonaim Brigade and dedicated service tracks such as the Kodkod program.
Despite the increase in enlistment, military officials say the army continues to face a critical manpower shortage. According to the IDF, it is currently short approximately 7,500 soldiers, as well as a similar number of combat support personnel, following more than 950 military fatalities and thousands of wounded since the start of the war.
Defense officials estimate that the enlistment potential within the haredi community is significantly greater, noting that each draft class includes approximately 14,000 haredi men eligible for military service.
As part of efforts to further expand recruitment, the IDF Chief of Staff recently signed a General Staff directive establishing three formal tracks for haredi service. The directive is intended to provide clear guidelines for recruits and rabbinical leaders while formally protecting the rights of haredi soldiers. The army also appointed Brig. Gen. Avinoam Emunah as adviser on haredi affairs, a role that includes overseeing initiatives such as the Hashmonaim Brigade.
The IDF is also exploring additional frameworks, including separate haredi company units and a dedicated training system that would offer officer training and expanded opportunities in combat support and frontline combat roles.
While ascending the Har HaBayit is traditionally prohibited, the rabbis who originally enacted the restriction explained that pikuach nefesh (saving life) overrides it, as the site cannot be left unsecured.
HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt"l ruled that police entry is permissible as long as they immerse beforehand, prompting the construction of an on-site mikveh Medoraysa (built according to biblical stringencies) where officers stand in line during every shift change.
