IDF Soldiers' Parents Protest Denied Leave Before Discharge

Parents of soldiers in the IDF's 601st Engineering Battalion have protested a decision to cancel accumulated leave days for soldiers nearing the end of their service, according to Maariv. The parents are demanding that the decision be reconsidered, stating that their sons have participated in prolonged combat operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and northern Israel and now require support.

Former Knesset Member Nira Shpak stated that soldiers in the 601st Battalion have endured difficult battles and losses while continuing to fulfill their duties. She emphasized that the leave, which can be up to 14 days and is often needed for administrative processes like obtaining citizenship before discharge, is crucial for soldiers to recover and reduce stress. Shpak called the decision "wrong" and "necessary to change."

Opposition lawmakers have reportedly informed the families that they intend to request a special session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to address the issue. The parents have also appealed to the relevant committee to review their grievances and are calling for Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to intervene.

The IDF, however, rejected the criticism, asserting that the decision was made in accordance with existing regulations and command authority. The military stated that soldiers receive continuous leave by order of the General Staff, plus five additional days from their quota. The IDF also noted that a unit commander of lieutenant colonel rank or higher can restrict the use of all accumulated leave days if operationally necessary, and that the decision was not a personal attack on Colonel Yoav Schneider, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade.

One parent commented that command decisions should consider the opinions of enlisted soldiers, not just officers, and linked the situation to broader criticisms of army leadership prior to October 7th. In a separate report, Brigadier General Liron Betito stated that the IDF controls 63% of the Gaza Strip.