An internal dispute in the IDF over how to manage the growing burden on reservists in the coming years is nearing a decision by the military’s Human Resources Directorate. The expected outcome: Reservists will continue to serve at least two months per year under the most conservative scenario, unless the army increases its number of conscripts.
The discussion comes amid ongoing efforts by ultra-Orthodox parties to block legislation aimed at drafting tens of thousands of yeshiva students into the military—efforts that have included threats to bring down the government.
Since late last year, the IDF has implemented a new reservist model requiring combat soldiers to serve 72 days annually—about two and a half months—with breaks built into that period, barring any major military operation.
However, the current war has already exceeded this quota. In recent months, limited ground operations in Gaza—led primarily by active-duty units—have also involved reservist brigades that were not scheduled to serve during this period.
The slow deployment of active-duty divisions to Gaza under the IDF Southern Command has left gaps along other borders, particularly in the north and the West Bank, prompting the sudden call-up of tens of thousands of reservists to replace active-duty troops.
Even before the current escalation in Gaza, company and battalion commanders had raised concerns that during the two-and-a-half-month service period, soldiers were often “neither here nor there.”
Because of exhaustion and burnout, many commanders have been sending their troops home for extended breaks—sometimes up to a week or more at a time—allowing them to rest, reconnect with family and continue working or studying. In many cases, these reservists remain on full pay from the IDF, even when not actively deployed.
“The intention was good, but the outcome is problematic,” a reservist officer told Ynet. “They’re not really on reserve duty but they’re not at home either. They can be called back at any moment. It creates a serious headache for commanders managing manpower and operational deployments.”
To address this, the Human Resources Directorate is considering a shift to shorter, more concentrated deployments—three to four weeks every three to four months. These stints would include minimal breaks, primarily over weekends, allowing reservists to remain fully focused on their missions without the continuous back-and-forth between home and base.
Under this model, the total annual reserve service would remain roughly the same—around 10 to 12 weeks—but spread across multiple shorter deployments rather than one long stretch, assuming no escalation in Gaza or on the northern front.
Reservists serve four times longer than before October 7
The current service burden represents a significant shift from the pre-October 7 era, when most reservists served far less. Before the war, only battalion commanders typically served two months per year. A regular reservist in a high-priority unit, such as one under the Northern Command, might have trained for one to two weeks in one year and carried out three weeks of operational duty the next.
Now, company and battalion commanders are often serving three to four times as much, spending most of their time in uniform since the war began. These are civilians with careers and families, not permanent military personnel.
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While the proposed changes would simplify manpower planning for commanders, they could financially impact reservists. Under the current model, some reservists use their time at home during service periods to continue working or managing businesses—effectively earning double income from both their civilian jobs and IDF reserve pay.
The new model would minimize such breaks, with only a one-week recovery period after each rotation. Extended time at home during reserve duty would no longer be standard. Field reports indicate the pressure on reservists is intensifying, with heavy personal and professional consequences.
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Defense Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir
(Photo: Shira Keinan, Defense Ministry)
A battalion commander from a Northern Command division—whose units also operate in Gaza—said, “Company and battalion commanders are spending a third of their time dealing with soldiers’ personal struggles, trying to ease their burdens so we don’t lose them entirely.”
He described cases where soldiers are barred by their spouses from crossing into combat zones, threatening divorce if they do. These soldiers are reassigned to rear roles inside Israel. Others can only serve a few days out of a 10-week deployment. “That’s fine,” he said. “Every little bit helps. Anyone who can assist reduces the strain on others.”
Commanders are also lobbying employers not to fire reservists, many of whom hold senior positions in government agencies, public institutions and private companies. “The state is giving reservists billions in benefits, which is great,” the commander said. “But what about the employers who are losing key staff for weeks on end?
“They get almost nothing in compensation. Public hospitals have fired employees just for being called up too often. Career growth is stalled for reservists, while their colleagues who don’t serve get promoted.”
He noted that while some large companies, including in high-tech, support reservist employees, they warn of limits to how much absenteeism they can tolerate. “Small and mid-sized businesses just can’t afford to keep losing people for months at a time.”
Grassroots support and long-term solutions
Some reserve brigades are launching internal initiatives to support soldiers’ families. The Carmeli Brigade, for instance, developed a volunteer-based system to help reservists manage everyday needs—from car inspections to home repairs—during deployments.
The Ground Forces Command awarded the brigade special recognition for the program, which was built by Golani Brigade veterans.
“We must find ways to reduce the load on reservists over time,” A senior officer from the Human Resources Directorate told Ynet. “Even 10 weeks a year is a lot and this year it’ll likely be more due to the Gaza ground operation.”
His proposed solution: extend mandatory service for conscripts back to 36 months and expand the conscription pool to include more segments of society. “We’re short more than 10,000 soldiers due to casualties and thousands more are being discharged with PTSD.”
“The issue is under review,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response. “Final decisions will be made in accordance with operational developments.”