Israeli reservists outraged with leadership over exclusion
3 Min Read
The Israeli occupation forces' reserve brigades are growing increasingly frustrated with the IOF leadership for neglecting them.
-
Israeli soldiers store ammunition in a staging area at the Gaza envelope in southern occupied Palestine, January 2, 2024 (AP)
The General Staff of the Israeli occupation forces are facing paramount criticism from the reserve brigades of the IOF due to the mistreatment the latter are subjected to, Israeli media reported on Friday.
The IOF reportedly does not have a plan for the future of the reservists, which has been the cause of growing dissatisfaction among their ranks.
According to Israeli Walla! military commentator, Amir Bohbot, "Reserve officers are displeased with the fact that, despite their continued reserve service for a period ranging from 80 to 90 days on average, no general plan has been presented to them for the coming year."
In a similar vein, Bohbot underlined that not one senior Israeli official "has spoken to the reserve officers about their upcoming combat role, and as a result, their families are left in suspense, and so are companies, educational institutions, and so on."
Israeli reservists have long been at odds with the Israeli regime, taking to protesting for months last year against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his attempts to exonerate himself on corruption charges and making amendments that would change the structure of the military, with the protests seeing them going as far as pledging not to serve.
Meanwhile, the pressure of the mistreatment of reservists, who have ordinary jobs outside of the military because they are not career soldiers, would be terrible for the already suffering Israeli economy.
An analysis by The Washington Post on Sunday revealed that the war on Gaza is imposing a staggering daily cost of $220 million on "Israel", totaling nearly $18 billion thus far.
According to the financial newspaper Calcalist, if the war persists for an additional five to ten months, the potential cost to "Israel" could soar to $50 billion, equivalent to 10% of the regime's GDP.
The report, citing economists, highlighted the significant toll the war on Gaza has taken on the Israeli economy, impacting sectors such as tourism, the tech industry, and the construction sector, which heavily relies on Palestinian labor.
Struggling economy
Al Mayadeen analysts caution against interpreting the figures indicating a struggling Israeli economy as conclusive evidence. They argue that if the economy had genuinely suffered, the regime would have opted to cease the war.
It's crucial to understand that "Israel" operates as an offshoot of US hegemony, ensuring a continuous flow of resources for its political agenda.
Looking back historically, forced labor movements and ethnic cleansing in Palestine have consistently been components of an imperialist policy, with British and Hashemite involvement in the expulsion of Palestinians.
In 1948, British support facilitated the formation of Zionist settler gangs into an army that successfully won the first Arab-Israeli war.
The creation of "Israel" and the narrative of fulfilling godly designs contribute to fueling the Arab-Israeli wars and create conditions conducive to militarism, a significant domain for global capital accumulation.
The colonial practice of Zionism in Palestine must thus be understood as the catalyst for wars aimed at regional depopulation and the promotion of militaristic growth.
