"The motivation problem is different from how it is reflected in the public eye. Whoever is called up, reports. Are there deserters? The answer is yes. Are there absentees? The answer is yes. But do most people show up, pack their bags, leave their homes, lecture halls, business, cancel trips abroad and report for duty? The answer is yes.”
Lieutenant General Shaul Mofaz, Chief of Staff
“In a democratic state government is first and foremost fair government, and we are caught up in a crisis of fairness …. In the situation we’re in its very difficult to speak of fairness with respect to military service – the various kinds of regular service, and compulsory service and reserve duty as well.”
Professor Asa Kasher, Tel Aviv University
“During the 1990s the list of those doing short reserve duty or none at all grew longer. On the other hand the list of those serving over 21 days grew very much shorter. The result: a heavy burden placed on a very small group of people.”
General Gil Regev – Head of Personnel, IDF
“Today people are talking about fear of doing reserve duty; they talk about being sitting ducks with no protection – I’m not talking about the media but about things said by those doing reserve duty – and they talk a lot about fear and fear of being at risk, especially the older ones.”
Professor Amia Lieblich, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
“The IDF cannot go on for long in its present format which is based on broad reserve duty. Therefore a new approach and different thinking about reserve duty – I’ll even be so bold as to say about compulsory service as well – is already needed.”
Brigadier General (Reserves) Dov Tamari – Head of the Institute for Systemic Study
"I’m 52. I choose do reserve duty willingly and have never refused. That’s how I was raised. I don’t know the word “no” in the army and I’m proud of it. Still, I hear more and more from children about how to avoid compulsory service, and that’s the problem.”
Lieutenant Colonel Yaakov Hartoch, Regimental Commander (Reserves)
“We can offer an alternative: from next year every person in the State of Israel will do national service. There are those who will do military service and those who will do civilian service. Everyone will serve: the ultra-orthodox, Arabs, women, orphans, boys, the infirm. And what will that non-military service be? It could be long school days, hospitals, extra help for students, collective endeavors.”
Gidon Eshet, Yedioth Aharonoth