Conscription in Israel

Not everyone joins the reserves after mandatory service. Most people who stay in the reserves will be the soldiers from combat units. They have to do yearly training or sometimes are called up to train other soldiers/ help with operations. Their experience is considered an advantage. Normally, this is voluntary. In times of war there can be a mandatory draft of reservists.

other non combat units will call up reservists also, but not to the same extent as the combat units. Or I’d guess the medical/engineering corps.

I’d guess the Fauda actor likely did his service in a combat unit, despite his career after.

EllaDisenchanted thanks for your informative posts.

I did have some questions but they have been answered by this article from TTOI just a couple of hours ago

https://www.timesofisrael.com/gallant-say-no-haredi-draft-bill-without-centrist-support-risking-coalition-crisis/

Anyone in combat will have been trained in combat. As far as I know reservists who were in auxiliary roles will not go into combat roles, they would fill positions with their skills, or other roles. The most ‘combat’ type role I have seen a non combat idf reservist do personally is guard duty outside schools. (Security has been increased since oct 7th).

Medics who go into combat are trained for it, there are highly specialised units who are trained to drop into an active scene and pull out injured soldiers in an extremely short time frame.

the IDF publishes the names of soldiers killed in combat daily, once the families have been informed. They publish the figures as well. As of today, these were the figures :
“The names of 582 IDF casualties in the Swords of Iron War have been released for publication. Since the beginning of ground operations in Gaza on October 27, 2023, 242 soldiers have been killed in battle.”

the 582 total includes the IDF soldiers killed on October 7th I believe, as over 300 died. As of the 12th December, 20 had died in friendly fire. I haven’t see figures released since then

Your post and questions are reasonable. I am interested too. Ignore any closed-minded idiots who see every discussion as an attack on Israel.

Any time.

First of all , I don’t want this to be another thread for idf good / bad.

Yeah sure you don't.

luckily he’s got double nationality so I’d force him to move to his other country

Not sure about Israel but in Finland this wouldn't necessarily exempt him. And I'm not sure how you'd force your adult son to move to another country, not exactly your decision.

im unsure whether any other country does conscription

Five seconds of googling could've told you.

Israel has always been a highly militarised country. Their attitude to conscription is not like ours in the West. Almost everyone (including women) has done military service so it is normal. It also means that many people continue to be reservists. They face ongoing existential threats like we did in the early 20th century when we too had conscription/military service.

Singapore used to have compulsory conscription but just for males, not sure if they still do

Active combat roles in the IDF form only a small part of service. Conscripts can be in a wide range of support roles, such as electricians, intelligence, communications, logistics, religious, medical, clerical, hr, education, computer/tech etc. Advantages of service are (paid) training, so they come out of the army with a qualification and experience (e.g. someone I know was an electrician in the army, so he received training and worked towards his qualifications). Also a lot of networking, people build connections which are useful in careers afterwords. There is also sherut leumi (national service) as an alternative to serving in the IDF, set up for religious girls, programs include working in special ed, hospitals, education, with teens at risk, law, geriatrics. Again, provides experience which can be springboards to careers, networking, and structure post high school.

What Gallant is referencing is pushing for an end to the exemption to the draft for ultra orthodox hareidi yeshiva students, which is a highly contentious and polarising topic in Israel. (There are a number of automatic exemptions to service).

Don't they do two years in Israel anyway?

France used to but not any more. However, there is a requirement to register for compulsory service should it be required. The USA has the same requirement for men only.

Several countries in Europe have conscription. More worldwide.

France has National service I think