In a pivotal and urgent address to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant sounded the alarm on the critical need for an immediate influx of 10,000 additional soldiers into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Gallant’s emphatic message underscored the unprecedented challenges faced by the IDF, stressing that the current manpower deficit cannot be filled by external means.

“Unlike planes or bombs, soldiers cannot be brought from abroad, so we need to recruit more,” Gallant proclaimed, capturing the essence of the pressing issue at hand. The stark reality, he asserted, is that the IDF requires a substantial reinforcement of its ranks to maintain national security and operational readiness.

Mobilizing the Ultra-Orthodox Community

Gallant revealed a strategic plan to bolster the IDF’s numbers by tapping into the ultra-Orthodox community. “The IDF says they can recruit another 3,000 ultra-Orthodox in the coming year in addition to those already enlisting,” he stated. This initiative is part of a broader agreement with ultra-Orthodox leaders to increase enlistment rates by 5% annually, aiming to achieve a 50% recruitment rate within five years. Gallant suggested that regulatory measures might be more effective than legislative ones in achieving these targets.

IDF ULTRA ORTHODOX RECRUITMENT LAW: GALLANT: "REGULATIONS ARE BETTER - AND NOT A RECRUITMENT LAW"

Following a mandate by Israel’s Supreme Court for immediate conscription efforts and cessation of funding for non-compliant yeshivas:

•Defense Minister Yoav Gallant proposed using… pic.twitter.com/1FeAStTMlQ

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 1, 2024

The Dire Need for Soldiers

Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, Gallant declared, “Look at the situation we are in - we need more soldiers.” He called for a multifaceted approach to meet this demand, which includes extending regular service, mobilizing reserves, and significantly increasing the participation of the ultra-Orthodox population.

Gallant warned that the current trends in the IDF’s manpower are alarming. The reduction of mandatory service from 32 to 30 months, effective July 1, coupled with the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s (FADC) refusal to extend the reservists’ cutoff age, has exacerbated the shortfall. As a result, approximately 6,700 reserve soldiers have been released from their duties. Gallant highlighted that two critical bills proposed in February to extend mandatory service to 36 months and to raise the reservists’ cutoff age by five years were stalled due to opposition from both the finance ministry and the attorney general's office.

A Call for Unified Action

In a powerful call to action, Gallant addressed the Knesset members directly: “I came here first of all to tell you, my friends, the members of the Knesset - the defense establishment and the IDF are not someone else's body, they do not belong to any party, they belong to us, to all of us. We are all partners, from all factions of the house, from all places, and we need the soldiers. The soldiers are ready now, but they want support, they want to join, they want sympathy, and I see that everywhere I meet soldiers, so I put this issue on the agenda.”

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quotes Defence Minister Yoav Gallant saying the Israeli army needs 10,000 additional troops immediately.

He told the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee 4,800 of those troops can be recruited from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community,…

— Global Current News (@Fahadali682521) July 1, 2024

The Broader Context

Gallant’s urgent plea comes amid widespread protests against the government’s plan to draft Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva students, who have historically been exempt from military service. This contentious issue was further complicated when Israel’s top court struck down a law designed to enshrine this exemption, citing the principle of equality.

The Defense Minister’s remarks coincided with the first classified meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the haredi draft bill, following several preliminary discussions. The government, in a High Court of Justice hearing on June 2, promised to complete the new draft bill by the end of the Knesset’s summer session on July 28. However, with the High Court rejecting the government’s arguments, the fate of the bill remains uncertain.

Netanyahu’s defense minister Yoav Gallant just voted against government’s bill to apply rule of continuity to a Haredi draft exemption bill that was promoted by Bennett-Lapid government in 2021.

Gallant opposes it, saying it doesn’t meet military’s needs + lacks broad agreement. pic.twitter.com/d2y8NthTqU

— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) June 10, 2024

Legislative Efforts

To expedite the process, the coalition decided to resume the legislative efforts of a 2022 haredi draft bill from the previous government. This move aims to streamline the procedure, with the bill already being prepared for its second and third readings in the plenum. However, FADC chairman MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) clarified that the resumption of the 2022 bill is merely a technical step, and the committee intends to overhaul the bill to address the IDF’s current manpower needs comprehensively.

In conclusion, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s urgent call for 10,000 additional soldiers underscores a critical juncture for the IDF and the nation’s security. The success of these efforts will depend on unified action across political and social divides, highlighting the collective responsibility to ensure the defense and stability of Israel.