The Israel Defense Forces base on general conscription, reserve service and high technologies. Historically, they performed not only defensive, but also state- and nation-building functions. Contemporarily, IDF struggles with significant challenges related to cultural and economic changes, the quality of service issues and the loss of original ethos, leading even to considerations of switching to a professional army. The conditions of conscription for ultra-Orthodox Jews have been among the key disputes for years. The article presents these problems and their politicization, in particular since Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power in December 2022, also in the constitutional context (dispute over the powers of the Supreme Court). It also shows how the Hamas terrorist offensive of October 7, 2023 and the resultant war influences society’s attitude towards the army, investigates army-politics relations as well as consequences of these processes.
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
