The IDF said it was dealing with a substantial drop in the number of reserve troops willing to serve in the prolonged war. According to the military there is a decline of 15% to 25% in reservists willing to report to a new round of duty including in combat units fighting in Gaza and South Lebanon, which has an effect on the IDF's operational decision.
In the first months of the war, after the October 7 massacre, 100% of soldiers serving in the reserves showed up to join the fight. Although all positions were filled, many insisted on being deployed and some even returned from travel abroad to enlist.
The ranks in all reserve units were full, and additional reserve personnel requested and pressed to join. However, in recent weeks, the figures have dropped to an average of 75-85 percent.
According to the IDF's estimates, the main reason for the decline in the willingness to serve stems from exhaustion after the reserve forces were in battle for months at a time and were repeatedly called up again and again in the year since the war broke out.
A senior security official confirmed that the reserve combat soldiers would be required to serve at least 100 days next year and be called up for 45 to 60 days every four months on average.
In addition, security officials warn that the government has yet to allocate funds for financial support for soldiers in the reserves, many of whom lost businesses and income. Overall, the funds allocated for reservists last year reached about nine billion shekels. Currently, nothing assures the reservists they will be appropriately compensated for their service compared to the tens of thousands of shekels each reservist received last year.
"You can't fight them"
Even reservists who were supposed to start their school year at colleges and universities in the last few days now fear that the concessions and special considerations they enjoyed at the height of the war, would not be afforded to them this academic year.
"The resource of reservists is not unlimited, and it is extremely difficult for people to be absent so much in the middle of life. That is why there is a silent drop in the numbers of soldiers reporting for duty," IDF officials said. "The reservists often do not protest or make public declarations and we cannot argue, fight them, or demand by force they serve."
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry hopes to "buy" the reservists with various other economic benefits, but it seems they will not match the grants that softened reservists last year. In practice, the maltreatment of the reserve combat soldiers is so great that the IDF maintains its right to call up any reservist with zero notice.
The IDF urged the government to legislate an increase of two to three time the previous amount of reserve duty and also extend the period of mandatory service from 32 months to three full years, to meet the growing demands of the military in the war.
Ultra-Orthodox men protest draft
(Yaron Barner)
Coalition members have delayed legislation while they push ahead with a so called draft bill that legalizes draft dodging by Haredi men. The Haredi parties demand a bill to exempt some 60,000 ultra-Orthodox men every year in the years to come.
Meanwhile, the plight of soldiers serving in the IDF reserves reached the Knesset on Monday in the special committee for the strengthening and development of the Negev and Galilee. The committee discussed the financial collapse of the reservists and their families after more than 400 days of war.