A major change occurred after the Lebanon War: dozens of reservists were killed after being called into combat in the final days of the invasion. That sparked an outcry that led the Israeli military to overhaul the system. The military reduced the size of the reserves and cut many less well-trained members. Today, less than 5 percent of Israel’s population serves in a reserve unit.
The military has created reservist groups, from well-trained troops serving in elite units or pilots flying fighter jets to less trained people monitoring West Bank settlements or patrolling villages along the Lebanese border. But elite reservists are deployed in Gaza, sometimes in units that also include professional soldiers.
The reservists’ diverse economic and social backgrounds lead some to openly criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite firmly believing in the military’s mission. In addition to their army-issued fatigues, some also wear T-shirts with the symbols of last summer’s mass rallies against Netanyahu’s reform of the Israeli justice system.
Over time, political debates become the order of the day. “You’ll have people making fun of each other and saying, ‘I hope you don’t go to the demonstrations again when you go home,'” Dr. Erez. “It’s not very controversial. People realize that this is something important; They agree that something bigger is going on.”
There are consequences to being too open. On Monday, Israeli news media reported that an air force reservist was fired for criticizing Mr. Netanyahu in a private WhatsApp group. “Political statements during military service in uniform violate the rules,” an Israeli military spokesman said.
Military analysts said opposition to Mr. Netanyahu could cause trouble for Israeli commanders if the reservists were asked to take part in operations that could endanger the 240 people held by Hamas. The government’s handling of the hostages struck a chord with the public.
“The risk is that the issue of hostages will not be resolved soon, and we see a threat to the hostages in the ground operation,” said Yagil Levy, a professor and military expert at the Open University of Israel. “There may be some form of protest and even resistance among some military units.”
In the idle hours, rumors and dark theories can take root. “They tell me that they take a child of 8 or 9 years old, pack him with an explosive vest and send him,” Sergeant Schnider said of the militants in Gaza. “What should you do? I really don’t want to be in this situation.”
While reservists tend to be older and in poorer physical condition than regular soldiers, military officials insist their training and equipment are up to the task in Gaza or elsewhere. Some former commanders argue that their accomplishments outside the military represent a net benefit to the war effort.
“The reservists may be running slower, but they are balanced,” said Brig. Gen. Ari Singer, a former Israeli military reserve officer. “Leadership in the reserves is more authentic and has nothing to do with the ranks you carry on your shoulder.”
However, reservists can also become uneasy if their deployments last too long. Many are married with children, and the draft has affected work and family.
Manuel Trajtenberg, the director of Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, estimated that about 500,000 workers were out of work due to the mobilization and the impact on spouses who had to stop work to take on domestic tasks.
The loss of so many workers, he said, will likely lead to a rare, significant decline in Israel’s per capita economic growth.