Former Israeli PM Bennett says there is a shortage of 20,000 soldiers — Jerusalem Post
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in Tel Aviv that the Israel Defense Forces could face collapse due to a shortage of personnel if ultra-Orthodox Jews are not drafted into military service. Speaking on September 29 at Hostages Square, he accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of ignoring the problem of mass draft evasion, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Statements on personnel shortage
According to Bennett, Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir had warned of a shortage of 20,000 soldiers. The former prime minister also said that he had spoken with officers and service members who link the personnel shortage to reduced protection of units in combat operations.
Bennett claims that due to a lack of observers and snipers, the military is suffering losses from drones. He also said that prolonged rotations of reservists are exhausting their operational readiness, while units sometimes have to abandon positions they have already captured because there are no personnel to hold them.
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Drafting ultra-Orthodox citizens
According to the publication, the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism supported advancing legislation which, according to critics, will not increase the number of recruits from this community. These parties boycotted coalition votes, demanding that this legislation be advanced.
The Israel Defense Forces have repeatedly warned of an acute shortage of military personnel after more than two years of war. In March, Zamir said that without resolving the personnel problem, the army could find itself on the verge of collapse.
Bennett, whose Be-Yachad party is part of the opposition bloc ahead of the October elections, promised to seek the conscription of all citizens, an end to state funding for those who evade service, and the abolition of draft exemptions. He also said he intended to initiate a state commission to investigate the authorities' actions surrounding the events of October 7.
