Israelis Don't Turn Up for Reserve Duty, and the Consequences Could Be 'Catastrophic'
A mere 4 percent of the eligible population continues to serve in the Israeli army reserves. As the rich and well-connected evade duty, the ranks are being filled with settlers and people from low socioeconomic backrounds
Tom Levinson
Tom Levinson
For several months, Boaz, a 42-year-old lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces reserves, had prepared for this moment. He had taken part in endless meetings with the top brass, had visited the sector in the Golan Heights and had personally examined the equipment his men would receive. “It had been more than five years since my armored battalion was called up for routine security duty, so I wanted to check each and every item, to make sure things would go well,” he says.
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