Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has unveiled a plan to reduce annual reserve service to 30 days starting in 2027, according to a report. The proposal calls for returning approximately 50,000 soldiers to active-duty roles, enlisting Haredi men, and advancing a Basic Law for servicemen. The plan aims to ease the burden on reservists, who have faced repeated and extended call-ups during the current multi-front conflict.
The 'Reservists Home' plan presented Thursday by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich aims to sharply reduce the frequency of reserve call-ups by returning 50,000 soldiers to active service, recruiting Haredi men into the military, and enshrining a Basic Law for those who serve. The target is to bring annual reserve duty down to 30 days from 2027.
The proposal addresses a crisis that has been building for months. As The Zioneer has reported, the IDF has warned that without legislative reform, the reserve component will continue to bear a disproportionate share of operational duties. A previous bulletin noted that over 10,000 reservists were being released due to budget constraints, while reserve spouses have criticized the Treasury for failing to update assistance budgets for families whose service days have doubled the planned average. The plan also tackles the issue of ultra-Orthodox enlistment; a separate IDF report earlier this summer warned that the number of draft dodgers could reach 90,000.
Details on the legislative timeline and how the 50,000 troops would be returned to active duty have not yet been published. The plan remains a proposal and requires Knesset approval.
2 developments
- DevelopingSmotrich says he hopes Haredim will 'correct' course on enlistment
- DevelopingSmotrich mulls additional reserved slots in Religious Zionism list to attract Mizrahi, light-religious voters
- DevelopingHaredi official accuses Smotrich of using Finance Ministry opinions to block Torah study law
- DevelopingDefense Minister Katz advances expansion of civilian national service for Haredim
Source and signal
- Open-source intake