The Washington Post reports that declining reservist participation in military service reflects growing war weariness in Israel after over a year of conflict.
According to the Washington Post, Israel is facing increasing war fatigue following more than a year of fighting in Gaza. The substantial absence of reservists is negatively impacting the Israeli economy.
Israel initiated its military operation in Gaza after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 250 individuals, including many civilians.
Israel’s intense air strikes and subsequent ground operation in the densely populated Gaza Strip have, according to Hamas-controlled health authorities, caused over 44,000 Palestinian deaths and over 104,000 injuries. Palestinian officials assert that most victims were civilians.
In Sunday’s article, the Washington Post stated that a growing number of Israeli reservists are opting out of duty, further straining the already burdened military. IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani reported a 15% decrease in enlistment since last October.
The conflict, now the longest in Israel’s modern history, has also resulted in unprecedented losses, the newspaper notes. The IDF reports at least 804 military personnel killed and over 5,400 injured since the conflict began.
An anonymous Israeli special forces reservist told the Post that his 12-person unit is now down to five, with seven refusing further deployment.
“I feel like the government is making me ask my wife for a weekend with the boys in Vegas, but actually it’s to go for weeks into Lebanon to defend the country,” he stated.
The Washington Post also reports that many Israeli women are reducing their work hours due to the need to manage households and children alone. This, combined with the extended deployments of male reservists, has negatively impacted national productivity.
Gayil Talshir, a political analyst at Hebrew University, concluded that “wherever you look – the economic crisis, the toll on the reservists and their families, and of course the dead and the wounded – Israeli society is definitely at the edge of its capacity.”
In response to personnel shortages, the IDF reportedly plans to extend mandatory service and raise the maximum age for reservists, according to the Washington Post.