IDF Chief of Staff Orders Leave Embargo Ahead of Elections

The Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, announced on Monday a leave embargo for all IDF units, effective Thursday, as part of the military's 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 reinforcing forces in the Central Command. The leave embargo was implemented due to general tensions and concerns about potential violence during the elections.

Voting for soldiers will commence on Tuesday and continue for seven days until election day itself. This extended period is designed to allow soldiers serving on naval vessels, in isolated outposts, or on scheduled operations to cast their ballots. All regular and reserve soldiers are eligible to vote at any polling station, whether military or civilian. The voting process will use double envelopes to verify voter eligibility and prevent duplicate voting.

Approximately 25% of the military polling stations will be mobile, traveling between units according to a pre-arranged schedule. Each mobile station will be secured by an armed officer or non-commissioned officer, and its secondary cover will be 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 previous election, polling stations will also be located outside Israel for forces deployed abroad. The rise in the number of polling stations is attributed to the extensive deployment of forces.

The IDF estimates that voter turnout among soldiers will be similar to the previous election's 73%. 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 Employees Employment Center, has been appointed as the IDF Elections Officer and is overseeing the military's election preparations. The election system comprises hundreds of officers and approximately 3,000 specially trained soldiers. Each polling committee will consist of four soldiers up to the rank of First Sergeant, 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, particularly those serving in the regular army who are voting for the first time. The IDF is distributing guidelines through 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 regulations, such as political statements by commanders.