Chief of Staff warns: 'The IDF is collapsing in on itself'
The Chief of Staff warned of an unusual strain on the IDF and reserve soldiers in light of the numerous missions and the absence of a conscription law
Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir Wednesday night during a discussion in the Security Cabinet that the IDF is dealing with unusual pressure, even stating that he is "raising 10 red flags" and that the army is "collapsing in on itself." His comments came against the backdrop of the multitude of tasks, the burden on reserve soldiers, the lack of progress in passing the conscription law, the extension of reserve duty, and, in the background, the establishment of new settlements.
The remarks sparked strong reactions in the political system. The leader of the opposition and chairman of Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, said that "the Chief of Staff is warning of the collapse of the IDF – and the government is ignoring it," placing the responsibility on the government.
Former Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot also emphasized that the political leadership will not be able to claim that it did not know, and called for the promotion of a compulsory service law for the entire population.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett joined the criticism and said that the IDF is lacking about 20,000 soldiers: "What on earth are you waiting for? A government that depends on Deri and Goldknopf is incapable of providing security for the State of Israel."
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman also attacked: "The Chief of Staff warns that draft-dodging harms Israel's security, but the government ignores it once again. The IDF is facing the most severe manpower crisis in its history — we must enlist everyone."