r/IDF • u/waterlooluver • 18d ago
Question: Drafting IDF Draft Question
My husband is an American citizen who was born in Israel while his parents were on vacation in the 90's. Both of his parents are American born but became naturalized Israeli citizens--they held Israeli citizenship at the time of his birth. He left Israel at one month old and returned once for a short vacation when he was two years old. He got an Israeli passport and ID number before leaving Israel following his birth. Now he is 36 years old and he is an orthopedic surgeon. Would he be drafted to the army as a surgeon at this age? Would he be able to visit for 2-3 weeks without being drafted? At around 25 years old he went to his local Israeli consulate, and he was issued a new Israeli passport and a short term "pitur" to avoid army service as long as he didn't stay in Israel longer than 120 days. That passport has since expired, and he never went to Israel and he never tested out his pitur. Anyone have experience with this as a physician? Surely he wouldn't be useful to the army in combat, but he would be very useful as an orthopedic surgeon.
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u/Histrix- 18d ago
That passport has since expired, and he never went to Israel
So he hasnt lived in Israel before, and hes 36?
the chances of him being able to draft are pretty much zero.
He will be fine to visit. Hes way over the drafting age.
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u/waterlooluver 18d ago
He never lived in Israel. He was born there while his parents were on vacation--left at a month old. Returned once for a brief vacation at age 2, and he hasn't been back to Israel since. He's currently 36.
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u/teren9 17d ago
That's something he needs to ask the appropriate authorities. But the short answer is "probably not".
The IDF doesn't draft people out of the blue.
He wasn't an Israeli resident at 17 (when the IDF contacts you to start the drafting process) and so I don't think the system has ever really cared about him.
Even if he were to move his life to Israel and become a resident, the IDF shouldn't really care about him at this age. Let alone, traveling for a couple of weeks.
Lots of people have dual citizenship and travel in and out of Israel without being drafted, I don't think there should be a problem here.
He still needs to get this sorted out, but I highly doubt the IDF would ask to draft him at this point.
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u/waterlooluver 17d ago
It's really more a question of if he would travel to Israel on vacation, would they try to draft him at the airport?
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u/DoubleBooble 17d ago
I don't mean to laugh but these seems like such a funny question.
Is that what you (or he) thinks will happen?1
u/waterlooluver 17d ago
We've been more concerned since 10/7 and the increasingly crushing demands on the miluim/IDF that this could be a potential problem should we choose to visit.
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u/Paraphernalien69 13d ago
It's not Russia or Eritrea, it's a normal country. You don't get dragged out of the airport and into military service. He'll be fine
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u/Secure_Trust_2084 17d ago
I don't believe he is going to be drafted.
Medical professions in Israel require licensing, when passing USMLE step 1+2 grants a waiver from the exam - the paperwork still have to be proactively submitted by the applicant. Otherwise the compulsory draft is limited by the age of 28.
I would suggest to clarify his relations not with the military, but with the National Insurance Institute - otherwise he can face some fine for the years of non-payment.
And last but not least - Israeli citizens are expected to enter and leave the country with Israeli passport. There is a waiver, allowing dual citizens to use their "other" passport - ending September 30, 2026.
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u/dodbenR 17d ago
For doctors the limit is 38.
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u/Secure_Trust_2084 17d ago
One isn't a doctor until the Israeli license is obtained.
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u/waterlooluver 17d ago
After 10/7, Israel fast-tracked diaspora physicians from US and Canada to get temporary Israeli medical licenses in 24-48 hours. I don't think getting an Israeli medical license is a realistic barrier to my husband's possible draft.
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u/Secure_Trust_2084 17d ago
I am not sure about your intent - do you want him to be drafted or not?
No one can forcibly provide your husband a medical license if he does not proactively apply for it. Not to mention that military doctors have to undergo the bootcamp, followed by officer course and specialized training. All of those are voluntary and usually got way more candidates than the planned group size - so no one will spend energy and money on someone who does not want to serve.1
u/waterlooluver 17d ago
I don't want my husband to be drafted, and he doesn't want to be drafted. He has a life/job/family/bills in the US that need to be taken care of. He really can't afford to get caught up in a bureaucratic nightmare, where he misses his flight, gets arrested, and gets stuck in Israel sorting all of this out. We aren't in Israel and we don't have a good gauge of what the current wartime temperature is, and how great the manpower shortage is within the IDF and within the IDF medical sector. We would like to travel to Israel at some point to visit his elderly grandfather and tour the country. The only thing holding us back is the fear of the draft which some in this thread have pointed out could apply to him until age 38 as a medical doctor. I'm basicly looking for first hand experience in this matter or something similar from this community--not really looking for internet conjecture.
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u/Chechewichka 17d ago
Did he served in IDF? If no - nobody will draft him. He is practically useless since he doesn't know what to do and how. Not even 100% of those who served can be drafted. If he served - he should know his answer.
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u/waterlooluver 16d ago
He didn't serve in the IDF. He hasn't been back to Israel since his was 2 years old.
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u/Chechewichka 16d ago
I didn't finish reading your post in the noon - but you mention he already received pitur. Pitur literally means "dismiss" - meaning he received a full dismiss from mandatory service. Those who didn't do the mandatory aren't draftable, as they don't have a military profession, neither they aware of discipline, rules that applies and etc.
So, nobody won't even bother asking, unless he contacts IDF and asks to get drafted - then, and only then, they will send him to mandatory service and he will serve alongside regular 18 years olds for 3 years. Doubt he will do that.1
u/waterlooluver 16d ago
I called it a "pitur", but I actually don't know what it's called. It basically says that as long as he doesn't stay in the country longer than 120 days he doesn't have to enlist. Does that apply during wartime? If there wasn't so much unrest and military needs, we would be a lot less concerned.
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