Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai on Thursday agreed to support a plan that would entitle reservists in the Israel Defense Forces to a full insurance plan identical to the scheme enjoyed by commissioned personnel.

The measure would fill a void that was created when a law, which stated that reserves soldiers were entitled to the same disability compensation as career soldiers, expired in May after being in effect five years.

Vilnai, who was recently appointed to his post by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, told Danny Van-Buren, the IDF's Chief Reserve Officer, that he would contact Barak in the near future and ask him to approve the proposal. If Barak gives his okay, the plan will then be presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for final approval.

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If the measure is approved and implemented, disabled IDF reserve soldiers would be entitled to disability allowances 50% higher than those afforded civilians suffering from the same degree of disability.

At the hands of fate

Reservists rights groups have complained that since the law expired, reserve soldiers have had to settle for much lower disability allowances.

"We find ourselves at the hands of fate," reserve combat soldiers recently wrote Barak. "We hope none of us will be injured in operational duty or in training. We implore you to act to make us eligible again for the regular allowances.

"Otherwise, we may decide not to report for duty when the next callup comes. Those who drop everything to serve their country and risk their lives should not be forced to put their families at further risk, like penury in case they should get injured."

The soldiers concluded their harsh letter with a warning: "A country that alienates its soldiers will eventually end up with no one to defend it."

Soldiers' Forum Chairman Aleh Mikanovsky has said that until they receive comprehensive insurance, reservists will have no choice but to personally pay for insurance before undertaking military operations when called for reserve duty. "We have learned from our experience assisting disabled soldiers that without personal insurance covering loss of ability to work, anyone who suffers injuries is faced with a future filled with uncertainty," he has said. "The system ignores the problem and puts every reserve soldier in the problematic position of choosing whether to show up for service or take care of the family."