Israel is considering recruiting Jews from around the world to compensate for its shortage of soldiers.

Israel's Army Radio revealed today that, in light of the "severe shortage" in soldiers, the military establishment is considering reaching out to Jewish communities around the world to encourage young Jewish men of compulsory military age to join the army from abroad.

The Israeli radio added that, according to estimates by the Military Forces Division, the Israeli army will be able to recruit more than 10,000 young Jews from around the world annually, aged 18 to 25.

The radio quoted senior officers as saying, "Our goal is to add approximately 600-700 additional soldiers annually from Jewish communities abroad, particularly from the United States and France."