Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Sunday that the army needs more soldiers “immediately," amid the escalating crisis surrounding the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews, or Haredim, and the continuation of military assaults on several fronts.
The remarks came in a meeting of the Knesset's (parliament) Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, according to the Yediot Ahronot newspaper.
Israel is waging assaults across multiple fronts, including Palestine’s Gaza, Lebanon and Iran
While ceasefires are officially in place on some fronts, Israeli violations continue unabated, deepening the toll on civilians across the region.
"I am not preoccupied with political or legislative processes, but rather focused on the multi-front war and on defeating the enemy," Zamir said. "To continue doing this, the Israeli army needs more soldiers immediately."
‘Collapsing army’
Zamir in March had warned that "the Israeli army is collapsing from within," given the government's failure to pass a law regulating the conscription of Haredim and reserve duty, and its failure to extend mandatory service up to 36 months.
According to spokesperson Efi Defrin, the army needs approximately 15,000 additional soldiers, including between 7,000 and 8,000 combat soldiers, adding that "it is essential to enact a conscription law."
Haredi Jews make up about 13 percent of Israel’s population of approximately 9.9 million and do not serve in the military, citing religious devotion to Torah study.
Israeli law requires all Israelis over 18 to serve in the military, and the exemption of Haredim has been a contentious issue for decades.
