Finance Minister Smotrich Proposes Cutting Reserve Duty Days, Faces Sharp Criticism

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a plan on August 13, 2026, aiming to reduce reserve duty days to 30 annually by 2027. Central to the proposal is increasing the number of reservists while shortening individual service time, thereby distributing military responsibilities more broadly rather than relying heavily on a smaller core group. The plan also addresses the growing gap between the Israel Defense Forces' expanding security demands and its current manpower.

Smotrich's program includes a national initiative to boost Haredi enlistment through funding pre-military preparatory programs, expanding Haredi education, and creating service tracks that respect their lifestyle. It also proposes legislation to enshrine reservists' rights in a Basic Law, prioritizing them and their families for housing, childcare, academic studies, and public sector employment.

At the program launch, Smotrich emphasized the need to "bring reservists home" by changing the formula to "more people, less time," arguing that the prolonged conflict and increased security challenges require a broader pool of soldiers rather than longer service from the same individuals. He declared the plan a condition for his party's participation in the next government.

However, opposition voices, including those from the Zionist Union, sharply criticized the proposal, accusing Smotrich of awakening to the issue only after three years of war and of siding with draft dodgers over active servicemen. Critics highlighted the IDF Chief of Staff's warnings about severe manpower shortages and questioned how reducing reserve duty days would address operational needs.

The debate reflects ongoing tensions over military service burdens amid Israel's complex security environment and societal divisions regarding conscription and reserve duty.