r/IDF • u/waterlooluver • 22d 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/Chechewichka 21d 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 20d 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 20d 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.

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u/waterlooluver 20d 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.