Israeli Army Considers Recruiting Children of Foreign Workers Amid Manpower Shortage

Amid an escalating shortage of manpower, the Israeli army has turned to recruiting the children of foreign workers residing in the occupied territories as a potential solution to fill this gap.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that, based on current assessments, thousands of children of foreign workers are of conscription age, and military officials are currently considering enlisting them.

According to the report, approximately 3,700 children of foreign workers living in these areas have reached the age for military service, a fact that has attracted the army’s attention amid the shortage of personnel.

Previous reports had indicated that the Israeli army faced a significant shortage of manpower in the first half of 2024. Meanwhile, an Israeli source acknowledged that the uncertain residency status of these workers’ children is being leveraged to enlist them, raising questions about the rights and legal status of these individuals.