After 4 years in the Defense Ministry: Smotrich's plan for reservists
After his support for draft evasion laws and exemption from arrests, the Finance Minister claims that his plan for 'reducing reserve days to only 30 per year already by 2027' will be a 'condition for…
Assessment
The Finance Minister is leveraging his position to set terms for the next coalition, tying a dramatic reduction in reserve duty to ultra-Orthodox conscription. His claim that the military told him not to manage their affairs suggests a deepening civil-military tension over who controls manpower policy. The proposal's viability hinges on a draft law that has proven politically explosive.