Israel’s defense establishment is investigating suspicions that civilian psychiatrists and other medical professionals may be helping military service candidates obtain mental-health exemptions using assessments that do not accurately reflect their conditions, Ynet reports.
The investigation began after the IDF identified what officials considered suspicious patterns in psychiatric opinions being submitted by candidates seeking exemptions from military service.
According to the report, the military noticed an increase in psychiatric opinions submitted by Chareidi military service candidates as the IDF expanded the distribution of draft orders and enforcement measures against those who fail to report.
The emerging patterns have raised questions over whether individual doctors are independently providing questionable assessments or whether a more organized system may be involved.
Defense officials are examining the documentation and the medical professionals involved to determine whether reports were issued without an accurate medical basis.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the existence of the probe does not establish wrongdoing by every candidate or medical professional whose documentation is being examined.
