Save the reserve service system: Israel must take this step
Marcel Assouline calls for a national emergency plan for reserve soldiers and their families, against the backdrop of cumulative burnout and WIZO research data indicating harm to relationships, a need for mental health support, and deterioration in children's condition.
Marcel Assouline calls for the establishment of a national emergency plan for reserve soldiers and their spouses and children. The article opens with a video of Bat-El Sananes, who broke down in tears after her husband announced the extension of his reserve duty. Assouline notes that three years after October 7, many families are facing prolonged service cycles. She cites data from a WIZO study: 54% of spouses reported harm to their relationship, 55% reported a need for mental health support, and 52% reported a deterioration in their children's mental state. Most participants reported coping alone without institutional support. Assouline calls on the new government to establish an inter-ministerial body to coordinate relevant ministries along with social organizations and employer groups, and to build a long-term national plan with dedicated budgets and adapted legislation. She emphasizes that this is a vital need for the resilience of Israeli society as a whole.