Fake news! Foreign Ministry confirms no Thai workers hired as mercenaries in Israel

In the statement, the ministry clarified that it has received a report from the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, which said that individuals with dual Thai-Israeli nationalities have been called in to serve as reserve soldiers for the Israeli army. These people are not Thai workers in any capacity, the embassy said. 
In addition to workers in Israel’s farming sector, there are some 500 Thai women who are married to Israeli citizens and have children with dual nationality.

Israeli law requires that all citizens, regardless of gender, serve in the military once they reach the age of 18. Men are required to serve for 32 months, while women serve for 24 months. 
Once they have completed their mandatory service, they become part of the reserve army that can be called at any time to perform military duties. 
The ministry said that since the Hamas attack on October 7, the Israeli army has called up more than 350,000 reservists or some 4% of the population. This is one of the largest mobilisations of military reserves in Israel’s history. 

Hence, the statement said, it is understandable that some Israeli citizens of Thai descent may also have to fulfil their military duties. 
However, it said, these individuals are not Thai workers covertly serving as mercenaries for Israel as has been erroneously claimed. 
The ministry has also urged the public to stop spreading false information or news that may lead to misunderstandings among Thai and foreign communities.