IDF Issues Election Day Directives to Commanders, Imposes Leave Ban
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The IDF's Chief Elections Officer has issued directives to commanders to ensure all soldiers can vote in the upcoming elections, even if it requires schedule adjustments. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has also imposed a leave ban on all military personnel from Thursday until after the elections. Commanders must ensure soldiers know polling station locations and hours, and are reminded that voting twice is illegal. The military will maintain a high level of readiness throughout the election period.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- IDF commanders must ensure all soldiers can vote, even if it requires schedule changes.
- A leave ban for all IDF personnel is in effect from Thursday until after the elections.
- Soldiers are reminded that voting twice, in military and civilian polls, is illegal.
- The IDF will maintain a high level of readiness throughout the election period.
- The directives were issued by the IDF's Chief Elections Officer, Colonel Ben Yehuda.
The IDF's Chief Elections Officer has sent election directives to all service members, emphasizing commanders' responsibility to ensure every soldier can vote, even if it requires schedule changes. The directives, sent by Colonel (Aluf Mishne) Ben Yehuda, were distributed after Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered a halt to all unit leaves starting Thursday until after the elections.
"We, IDF commanders, bear the responsibility and the duty to enable the democratic election process, which every citizen is entitled to, while fully ensuring the secrecy of the vote and the proper conduct of the process according to IDF regulations," the directive stated. Commanders must verify that all regular and active reserve service members can vote wherever they are stationed, and that their subordinates know the location and hours of polling stations within their units.
The directive also stressed that voting twice, once at a military polling station and again at a civilian one, is strictly prohibited and illegal. The IDF announced that Chief of Staff Zamir held a multi-arena situation assessment on Monday regarding the military's preparations for the election period. During this assessment, he ordered the leave ban for all regular, career, and reserve soldiers, with a high level of readiness to be maintained until after the elections.
