An Israeli general stood in front of a tank on the Gaza Strip’s edge. Abruptly, he stopped discussing the war against Hamas to chastise Israel’s political establishment on television.
Before the battle broke out in October, political disagreements and months of protests had left Israel extremely split. Brigadier General Dan Goldfus urged lawmakers “on all sides” to reject extremism and come together.
“You must be worthy of us. You must be worthy of those fighters who have lost their lives,” Goldfus said in his March 13 briefing, broadcast on Israel’s main television channels.
Two days later, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Chief of Staff, chastised Goldfus, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). However, several of the Israelis back from the front were moved by what he said.
Barak Reicher, 42, who had just completed five months of reserve duty, stated, “He gave voice to many who feel they are sacrificing their lives and time while the politicians are busy with petty politics.”
Thirteen reserve and conscript troops were questioned by Reuters at army bases, in parliament, at home, and during protests. While all of them talked about how their friends were doing on the battlefield, the majority also expressed their dissatisfaction with Israel’s political establishment.
Many expressed ire at the administration for not addressing important concerns such as the reform of military conscription and the financial struggles faced by returning reservists. Regardless of their party affiliation, these issues remained unattended to.
The IDF did not immediately react to Reuters’ inquiries since it does not comment on topics of government policy. The office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, did not reply either.
Following the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas, which claimed 1,200 lives and kidnapped over 250 more, Israelis united in sadness. Benny Gantz, a former head of defense and challenger, led a centrist party. Netanyahu utilized this party to build a national emergency government.
With this action, a period of political unrest ended. Large-scale demonstrations against the hard-right government’s proposals for an unpopular judicial reform last year preceded this.
However, the differences have now resurfaced. Cabinet ministers are squabbling about money and power battles over a spot in the war cabinet. They are also jabbing at one another over the security lapse on October 7.
Tensions center on the Supreme Court’s March 31 deadline. This might endanger the coalition government led by Benjamin Netanyahu as it drafts a new conscription law.
The ultra-Orthodox religious parties, which Netanyahu’s cabinet depends on for support, have promised to protect the community’s extensive exemptions from military service. Additionally, they have pledged to uphold these exemptions.
However, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has sided with Gantz, stating he will not support a bill that is not approved by every member of the cabinet. Additionally, Gantz has threatened to quit the government if his demand for a more equitable law is not met.
Many mainstream Israelis serve two or three years of obligatory service at the age of 18. Their bitterness stems from the ultra-Orthodox exemptions.
Many ultra-Orthodox people consider full-time religious education sacred. They choose not to work and instead rely mostly on government assistance. They do not pay taxes. Israeli army veterans may be called up to reserve forces until they reach the age of 40 or older. At that point, they must leave their families and occupations behind.
The protests in 2023 against judicial reform, which they claimed would have destroyed the Supreme Court, were largely led by reservists. A few made threats to decline calls to duty.
This month, Brothers in Arms, the most well-known reservist organization during previous demonstrations, declared it would be taking back to the streets to protest the government. This time, they will focus on the conscription law.
Omri Ronen, a captain in the army reserves and group member, stated at one of the statewide gatherings on Saturday that “protest is the only way to get things done here.” “This may be our last opportunity and we must not lose it.”
SHARING THE BURDEN
For Israelis, the conscript military has long been a melting pot. Its moral code is designed to keep it impartial toward politics.
However, reservists have contributed to post-conflict political transformation. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the two Lebanon wars (1980s and 2006), demonstrations led to the overthrow of Israeli presidents.
The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), a nonpartisan think tank, conducted a survey of 1,200 people and released its results on March 14. According to the survey, public trust in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) among Israel’s Jewish majority is nearly four times higher than faith in the political leadership. This trust in the IDF significantly contrasts with a 5% decrease in trust in the political leadership between June and December 2023. That period saw a 1% increase in public trust in the military.
According to Yohanan Plesner, head of IDI, “less than a quarter of the public trusts their elected officials.” Nonetheless, he pointed out that following the conflict, Israeli society as a whole had recovered from the low points observed during the large-scale demonstrations in the middle of 2023. However, he highlighted the resilience of Israeli society, indicating a significant recovery since the widespread protests.
Israel has mobilized some 300,000 reservists since beginning its ground invasion of Gaza, the largest such deployment in decades. A little over four months later, it started to release them.
Some are currently demonstrating in the streets. Almost every day, protests occur across the nation, albeit with significantly fewer participants than the large-scale events of the previous year. Despite the decrease in numbers, demonstrations persist regularly.
Reef Arbel, 25, was supposed to start school in October, but instead he spent 120 days fighting in Gaza. According to him, an anti-tank missile struck his crew during that period.
Arbel, like a number of other reservists who talked with Reuters, claimed that upon returning to civilian life, he felt abandoned by the government.
“I come back from my reserve duty and I need to get groceries and the prices are up and my rent is about to go up and the politicians aren’t showing any regard for my life. They’re just busy with their own political survival,” he said.
On February 26, Arbel stood among hundreds of people outside Israel’s Supreme Court. The court convened to consider appeals regarding exemptions from military conscription granted to ultra-Orthodox Jews. This was the day Arbel joined the gathering.
The situation has intensified in intensity as the Gaza war claims the greatest number of military lives in many years. Since October 7, the military reports almost 600 Israeli soldiers have died. This figure is about five times the number of losses from the 2006 Lebanon War.
Nevertheless, Arbel said that if he is called up again, he will serve: “What keeps us going is knowing that we’re protecting Israel, and getting closer to the hostages.”
Health officials in Gaza report that the Israeli military onslaught has killed over 32,000 people there.
COST
The financial toll incurred by reservists from months away from work and company is significant. Additionally, this contributes to the hostility directed against conscription.
Since the start of the war, the state has compiled a nine billion shekel ($2.48 billion) assistance package for reservists. This package includes higher grants for parents, compensation, and loans for business owners.
Since January, about 10,000 small business owners summoned have requested compensation awards, as reported by the Economy Committee. More than 62 million shekels have already been disbursed, of which around half have been approved thus far.
Reservists whose rights were infringed, including some whose employment were in jeopardy, have filed thousands of appeals, Israel’s biggest labor organization Histadrut told the Labour and Welfare committee. How many reservists have lost their jobs or means of subsistence is unknown to the authorities.
Combats Forum founder Roi Mahfud said his organization has received thousands of pleas for assistance in support of reservists. He declared, “People are hurting.”
Shani Cohen, 35, was called up on October 7 and served her first two months of reserve duty in the Gaza border. According to her, she lost her job in January.
“I’m not political but I do feel people are beginning to forget that we are at war,” she stated. “We must focus on what unites us, not what divides us.”
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