Report: Over 50,000 Israeli Soldiers Hold Foreign Citizenship, Raising Legal Questions in Western Capitals
JERUSALEM – A significant disclosure of official military data has revealed that more than 50,000 soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) hold at least one foreign citizenship, a statistic that is generating intense scrutiny from legal experts and foreign governments. The figures, released following a freedom of information request by the Israeli transparency NGO Hatzlacha and analyzed by investigative outlet Declassified UK, offer an unprecedented breakdown of the international composition within the Israeli military ranks.
Deep Search: The Nationality Breakdown
The data, which provides a snapshot of military personnel as of March 2025, indicates that the Israeli army draws heavily from dual nationals, particularly from Western nations and the former Soviet bloc.
According to the report, the United States accounts for the largest single group of foreign passport holders, with 12,135 soldiers holding American citizenship. This is followed by a substantial European and Eurasian presence:
France: Approximately 6,127 soldiers.
Russia: Over 5,000 soldiers.
Ukraine: Nearly 3,200 soldiers.
Germany: Approximately 3,000 personnel.
United Kingdom: Data identifies 1,686 British-Israeli dual nationals, with hundreds more holding third-country citizenships.
Smaller but notable contingents include soldiers holding citizenship from Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa, and various Latin American nations. The data also listed a small number of soldiers with citizenship from Arab nations, including Yemen, Tunisia, and Lebanon, likely reflecting specific immigrant communities or special status residents.
Objections and Legal Controversies
The release of this data has intensified an already heated debate regarding the legal liability of dual nationals participating in the ongoing conflict.
Prosecution Risks: Legal advocacy groups in Europe and South Africa are warning that dual citizens could face prosecution in their home countries. In the United Kingdom, the Public Interest Law Centre has previously submitted complaints to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit, arguing that British nationals could be liable for investigating potential war crimes committed in Gaza.
“Mercenary” Accusations: Critics and solidarity groups have seized on the figures to characterize parts of the IDF as being bolstered by “foreign fighters,” comparing them to volunteers in other international conflicts.
Diplomatic Friction: The presence of thousands of soldiers with Russian and Ukrainian passports—nations currently at war with one another—adds a layer of diplomatic complexity. Additionally, in Turkey, political factions have recently submitted parliamentary bills seeking to strip the citizenship of Turkish-Israeli dual nationals found to be serving in the IDF, labeling their participation as a crime against humanity.
Background and Context
To understand these figures, it is essential to look at the unique structure of Israeli citizenship and military service.
The Law of Return: Israel’s Law of Return* grants Jews worldwide the right to immigrate and become citizens. Once citizenship is acquired, military service is mandatory for most men and women over the age of 18, regardless of whether they hold a second passport. Consequently, the high number of dual citizens is not necessarily a recruitment of foreign mercenaries, but a reflection of Israel’s large immigrant population (Olim).
“Lone Soldiers” vs. Dual Citizens: While the IDF has long had a “Lone Soldier” program for volunteers without immediate family in Israel (approximately 7,000 at any given time), this new dataset covers a much broader category: regular Israeli citizens who simply happen to have retained their parents’ or their own former nationality.
Hatzlacha’s Role: The data release was forced by Hatzlacha* (The Movement for the Promotion of a Fair Society), a legal-aid NGO that focuses on enforcing regulatory compliance and transparency within Israeli government bodies. Their request, filed nearly a year ago, was aimed at understanding the demographic makeup of the army during a period of extended reserve duty.
As the data circulates, foreign ministries in Paris, London, and Washington may face increased pressure to clarify the legal standing of their citizens fighting abroad, particularly as international courts continue to examine the conduct of the war.
aoav.org.uk
militarnyi.com
turkishminute.com
welcome-israel.com
wikipedia.org
easyaliyah.com
