Israeli government approves emergency call-up of up to 450,000 IDF reservists – a record number

The Israeli government approved on Monday the recruitment of reservists under the emergency order, with a maximum number of 450,000 soldiers until Aug. 31, 2025, despite significant legal concerns raised by the decision. This represents a record number of reservists approved since the Oct. 7 terror attack.

The legal opinion stated that there is a significant legal difficulty in extending the emergency order for reservists because the government is not making sufficient efforts to increase recruitment from the ultra-Orthodox community. The proposal also noted that the estimated cost per reservist to taxpayers is NIS 1,000 (about $280) per day.

Earlier, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara addressed the issue at the annual conference of the Israel Bar Association, saying, "Any discussion about warfare requires a discussion about equality in bearing the burden. In reality, not everyone shares the burden equally, and the basic sense of justice is severely damaged."

Baharav-Miara emphasized, "The defense establishment has clarified its needs, and the professional level has explained that every active-duty soldier carries the burden equivalent to several reservists. The Security Service Law mandates uniform and equal service – that is the legal situation. In contrast, the Draft Law, which has yet to be enacted, is not a work plan and does not exempt anyone from the duty to recruit [be recruited] or enlist."

Regarding sanctions on draft dodgers, the attorney general said, "Effective sanctions must be personal. As explained by security officials – including in terms of car use and similar issues. Unlike personal sanctions, community sanctions are not perceived as having the same potential effect."

From a legal standpoint, Baharav-Miara outlined three necessary steps: "Increasing draft orders, utilizing existing enforcement tools against draft dodgers, and expanding sanctions against them."

She added, "This can be advanced by a government decision without legislation – it is within the authority of the ministerial level."

Baharav-Miara concluded with sharp criticism: "The government's failure to advance the issue does not align with the needs of the army or the constitutional right to equality. We stand ready to assist the government on this matter."

The reservists’ movement responded to the Kan News exposé saying "Reservists cannot be treated like an inanimate resource. The ease with which the government plays with the lives of reservists is incomprehensible, especially given that it shows no urgency to enlarge the army and draft everyone. The government must understand it can no longer drag this out and wear down the same people. We will report for duty when called – but we need someone else to carry the stretcher now."

Attorney Ayelet HaShachar Seidov, founder and chairperson of the Mothers at the Front movement, responded to the government’s decision: "We demand an end to 'Netanyahu's War,' which serves a government of political draft dodgers driven by messianic ideology. A government that rewards draft dodgers and betrays its fighters is unworthy of its people and its army."