Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs told the Knesset that the IDF Chief of Staff has sent multiple letters requesting an extension of mandatory service to 36 months. Fuchs said the most urgent step is to legislate the current 32-month service as permanent, and defer discussion of 36 months until after the elections.
Government Secretary Yossi Fuchs told the Knesset on Thursday that the IDF Chief of Staff has pressed for extending mandatory service to 36 months, but the government's immediate priority is to legislate the current 32-month service as permanent. Fuchs said discussion of a 36-month service should wait until after the elections.
The remarks come amid an ongoing debate over IDF personnel shortages. The Zioneer has reported that the IDF's Personnel Directorate head, Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb, has called for a 36-month service to address structural gaps, and that a senior defense official warned of a 'critical' personnel crisis if the extension is not passed by the Knesset.
Fuchs' statement signals that the government is prioritizing a legislative fix for the 32-month service baseline, which is currently set to expire, while deferring the more ambitious 36-month proposal to a later political stage.
2 developments
- DevelopingIDF Personnel Chief calls for extending mandatory service to 36 months
- DevelopingKnesset panel votes 8-1 to keep mandatory service at 32 months
- StrongDraft crisis solution emerges: 32-month service stays, no cut or extension
- DevelopingIDF Personnel Chief: Service extension is operational necessity but not substitute for broader conscription
Source and signal
- Open-source intake