Israel's ticking time bomb is already here - and no one is dealing with it | Yitzhak Brik

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brik warns that Israel faces a severe mental health crisis among combatants and civilians, describing a debilitating bureaucratic system, budget shortages, and government abandonment. Brik claims the government prioritizes coalition funds over trauma rehabilitation, warning of losing an entire generation if there is no dramatic change in approach and budget.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brik warns in a new opinion piece that Israel is facing a severe mental health crisis among combatants and civilians, which he calls a "ticking time bomb" that no one is addressing. Brik describes a debilitating bureaucratic system where returning soldiers must "prove" their injury before medical committees, in a process that feels like a police investigation rather than a therapeutic space. He argues that victims' families are forced to become full-time caregivers without training or support, collapsing under the economic and mental burden. Brik sharply criticizes the government, which he says chooses to prioritize coalition funds and funnel billions to the ultra-Orthodox sector while allowing their continued exemption from IDF service, instead of significantly increasing the budget for mental health rehabilitation. He warns that the failure to treat mental health casualties is a social ticking time bomb, and without a dramatic change in approach and budget, Israel may lose an entire generation.