Prime Minister of Israel
After more than a year of war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel’s military is struggling to recruit soldiers and reservists are feeling exhausted.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, approximately 300,000 reservists have been called up, with 18% of them being men over 40 who should have been exempt. This has brought up concerns about the sustainability of Israel’s military efforts.
“We’re drowning,” said reservist Ariel Seri-Levy in a social media post that went viral. “We have to end this war because we are out of soldiers.” Seri-Levy, who has been called up four times since the attack, emphasized that while he still believes in serving his country, “the concessions have become too great.”
Another reservist, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his struggles with fatigue and moral exhaustion, compounded by the loss of his job. Many freelance workers have had to close their businesses due to the war, despite the government’s guarantee of a minimum income for reservists.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, are currently exempt from military service. The ultra-Orthodox community accounts for 14% of Israel’s Jewish population, with around 66,000 individuals of conscription age exempted. Israel’s Supreme Court recently ordered the draft of yeshiva students, prompting ultra-Orthodox political parties to call for a framework to address this issue.
Some 2,000 wives of reservists from the religious Zionist movement have signed an open letter requesting that the government “lighten the load” for those who serve. Academic Tehila Elitzur noted, “There is no contradiction between Torah study and military service; both go hand in hand.”
Rabbi David Zenou, 52, who fought for 250 days this year, including several weeks in Lebanon, emphasized, “It’s an honor to serve my country, and I will continue to do it for as long as I can. Above all, let’s not forget that this is war and we are short on soldiers.”
Israel’s military has lost 367 soldiers in Gaza and 37 in Lebanon since the conflicts began.
