Harsh criticism against Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF: Denying soldiers their basic right

Harsh criticism is directed at Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF following the cancellation of release leave for soldiers of the 601st Engineering Battalion. Soldiers who accumulated many leaves during intense service in Gaza are expected to be discharged in December without taking leave. Parents have filed complaints with the Ombudsman for Soldiers and are planning protest actions.

Harsh criticism is directed at Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF following the cancellation of release leave for soldiers of the 601st Engineering Battalion. The soldiers, who served at high intensity in Gaza and the security zone, accumulated many leaves during their service and now, with their expected discharge in December 2026, they will not be able to take a proper leave. The soldiers' parents have filed complaints with the Ombudsman for Soldiers, Brigadier General Rachel Tevet-Wiesel, who has not yet acted on the matter. One parent said that the senior IDF command did not learn the lesson from October 7, when they did not listen to the female observers and soldiers in the field. According to him, the senior officer corps is erasing the soldiers and trampling their rights. The author states that the decision is wrong and must be changed, and that the correct solution is not to harm the soldiers but to recruit additional forces or prioritize missions.