The Cabinet has approved the extension of mandatory military service to 36 months for the next eight years.
The proposal was accepted at the end of a Cabinet meeting and in consultation with professionals from the Defense and Finance Ministries, following agreements reached between Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on the details of the change.
At the beginning of the week, Netanyahu asked Gallant and Smotrich to reach understandings on the law to extend mandatory service. After reaching understandings, the proposal will be brought to a vote at the next government meeting to be held on Sunday.
According to the understandings reached, the directive will apply to regular soldiers currently serving and to the draft classes of the next five years, so that combat soldiers will serve for 3 years over the next 8 years.
Additionally, at the end of that period, the regular service period will revert to 32 months and the Ministry of Defense can shorten the service for soldiers who do not serve as combat soldiers.
The decision comes, among other reasons, due to the IDF's demand to extend service back to 36 months. The reason for this is the increasing shortage of soldiers alongside the ongoing threat in various arenas.
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid denounced the plan: "On Sunday, the government will extend mandatory service to 36 months. At the same time, it is exempting tens of thousands of young and healthy haredi men who can join the ranks of the combat soldiers. Every Israeli mother should know that her leaders send to battle only those who are politically convenient for them. Israel is being led through 2024 by a reckless government.''