Israeli Author: IDF Faces Shortage of 12,000 Soldiers, Proposes Reduced Warfare

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Aluf Benn, an author and journalist for the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, has written that the real solution to compensate for the shortage of soldiers in the Israeli army is not the mandatory conscription of religious Jews, but rather a reduction in warfare.

Benn stated that Eyal Zamir, the Chief of Staff of the Army, is acting more aggressively than his predecessors in calling for the mandatory service of religious individuals. According to statistics from the Manpower Directorate, the Israeli army is facing a deficit of 12,000 soldiers, of whom 6,000 to 7,500 must be operational personnel, and the army needs religious individuals in its ranks.

The Israeli author added that proponents of mandatory service for religious individuals consider the October 7th war their trump card, which could settle debates in their favor. However, he believes the Prime Minister views it as a political opportunity to attract the attention of Talmudic factions to maintain his rule.

Aluf Benn explained that another solution for the shortage of fighters is to engage in fewer wars. He pointed to the occupation of areas in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, land confiscation in the West Bank, and attacks on Iran, among other actions. Recalling the Camp David peace agreement with Egypt, he noted that this agreement led to a reduction in military personnel and investment in the non-military economy.

He concluded by saying that Netanyahu, who in the past called for security restraint, now sees himself dependent on an “eternal, multi-front war.” Therefore, opposition leaders must strive to end the war, curb Israel’s regional expansion, and achieve peace to solve the troop shortage problem.