IDF paratroopers during training session
Photo: IDF
Good news for soldiers
Military service to be shortened by 5-7 months, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz says
TEL AVIV - The mandatory military service term, which currently stands at 3 years for men, will be shortened by five to seven months within a year, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz says.
Military Questions
By Hanan Greenberg
Defense Minister Mofaz says security establishment reexamining proposals to reduce mandatory service term
The statement was made by Mofaz in an interview with Alex Fishman and Sima Kadmon. The full interview will be published in Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Wednesday.
The Defense Minister said he already appointed Professor Avi Ben-Bassat to head a defense establishment committee tasked with examining the implications and implementation of the decision.
Education a top priority?
Mofaz said he views with the utmost importance the need to allow Israeli youngsters to acquire a university degree by the age of 22 or 23, in order for them to contribute to the local economy as early as possible.
“As it turns out, most important scientific discoveries in the world in recent years were made by people under the age of 30,” he said.
A final decision on how many months should be cut has not been made yet, and would also be affected by the country’s security situation, Mofaz said.
The latest decision comes on the heels of another significant decision, regarding IDF reserve service, made in the framework of army reforms.
Later this year, the government is expected to approve the Reserves Bill, which would exempt Israelis from military reserve duty once they hit 40. According to the bill, Israelis would only be called up for reserve duty for training, the maintaining of operational qualifications, and during emergency times.
