IDF Chief of Staff Orders Leave Embargo Ahead of Elections

The IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, announced on Monday a leave embargo for all military units, effective Thursday, as part of preparations for the upcoming elections. The directive was issued during a morning situation assessment attended by senior military officials. Zamir stated that the IDF's mission is to ensure the elections proceed safely and on schedule.

In addition to the leave ban, Zamir ordered an increased presence of senior commanders in situation rooms and headquarters, as well as reinforced forces in the Central Command. Voting for soldiers will commence on Tuesday and continue for seven days until Election Day, allowing personnel serving on ships, in isolated posts, or on planned operations to cast their ballots. All regular and reserve soldiers are eligible to vote at any polling station, military or civilian, using double envelopes to ensure voter eligibility and prevent duplicate voting.

Approximately 25% of military polling stations will be mobile, traveling between units according to a predetermined schedule. Each mobile station will be accompanied by an armed officer or NCO for security, with its secondary cover locked during transit. Over 800 polling stations will be established within IDF units, an increase of about 100 from the previous election when 709 ballot boxes were set up. Unlike the last election, polling stations will also be located outside Israel for forces stationed abroad.

The rise in the number of polling stations is attributed to the extensive deployment of forces. In the last election, 73% of IDF personnel voted, and the army anticipates a similar turnout this time. While voting procedures are coordinated with the Central Elections Committee, the IDF is responsible for their execution. Colonel Vered Ben Yehuda, Head of the IDF Civilian Employment Center, oversees the election preparations as the IDF's Chief Election Officer. The election system involves hundreds of officers and approximately 3,000 specially trained soldiers.

Each polling committee will consist of four conscript soldiers up to the rank of sergeant first class, with the possibility of including NCOs and reservists at remote locations. The election system's role is purely technical and organizational, aiming to facilitate voting and maintain the integrity of the process without engaging in political content. A significant part of the preparation involves educating soldiers, many of whom are voting for the first time. The IDF is distributing guidelines on internal networks and media, instructing commanders on permissible and prohibited conduct during the election period, including the boundaries of political discourse within units and emphasizing the importance of keeping the military out of politics. The IDF stated that disciplinary sanctions will be imposed for any violations of procedures, such as problematic political statements by commanders.