Overnight, the Knesset approved the extension of mandatory military service to 32 months (two years and eight months), replacing the previous 30-month term. The change applies to all soldiers who enlisted from July 2024 onward, delaying their release by two months. The law also stipulates a return to 30-month service for those enlisting from June 2029 onward.
The Knesset approved overnight the temporary order extending mandatory military service from 30 to 32 months, with detailed timelines now published. According to the law, soldiers who enlisted from July 2024 onward will see their release delayed by two months — for example, those due to leave in January 2027 will now be released in March 2027. The law also sets a return to the 30-month term for enlistees from June 2029 onward.
As The Zioneer reported at 23:51 Jerusalem on Thursday night, the Knesset gave final approval to the extension. Throughout the night, The Zioneer published multiple updates as details emerged: the vote passed 43-12, MK Boaz Bismuth presented the order to the plenum, and the law was confirmed as a temporary order. The thread of reports shows that the approval was the culmination of a legislative blitz that began earlier in the week.
The Zioneer has reported extensively on the background to this decision. On July 14, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee voted 8-1 to advance the bill. The IDF had requested a 36-month extension, but the government settled on 32 months. Defense officials had warned of a "critical" personnel crisis unless the extension passed, as The Zioneer reported on June 10.
The law is a temporary order, meaning it will remain in effect unless renewed or amended. The scheduled return to 30 months in 2029 suggests the Knesset views the current extension as a bridge measure, though the IDF's longer-term personnel needs remain a subject of ongoing discussion. Whether the 30-month term will be restored as planned, or further extended, is not yet settled.
8 developments
- DevelopingKnesset panel votes 8-1 to keep mandatory service at 32 months
- StrongDraft crisis solution emerges: 32-month service stays, no cut or extension
- StrongGovernment secretary: fix 32-month service now, defer 36-month debate until after elections
- DevelopingIDF Personnel Chief calls for extending mandatory service to 36 months
Source and signal
- Internal intake