Observation: Yes its an emergency - Tzav 8! To be Followed By Legislative
and Institutional Changes
Dr. Aaron Lerner 14 August 2023

Step #1: Tzav 8

The top brass have been sitting with the Minister of Defense and Prime
Minister Netanyahu desperately describing the national security crisis the
Jewish State is about to face because reservists who fill critical roles
within the framework of their volunteer reserve duty aren't going to
volunteer.

We aren't talking about broad strokes but instead granular details regarding
specific reservists performing specific tasks.

These reservists are certain that their refusal to volunteer will cause a
national security emergency.

Their supporters - which includes almost all of the media - embrace this
notion and berate anyone who claims otherwise.

So what do Israelis have when there's a national security emergency?

Tzav 8.

The emergency call up of reserves outside of the framework of regular
reserve duty.

Tzav 8 doesn't have to be a general call up. The Minister of Defense can
use that granular data to call up only the specific reservists critically
needed as they are needed.

To be clear, there are thousands of reservists who have signed warnings that
they won't volunteer who WILL NOT get Tzav 8's.

I daresay that those who don't get Tzav 8 are going to be a bit embarrassed
telling their families that they were left at home.

And those who do get the Tzav 8 to save our nation will be hard pressed to
explain why they aren't legally obligated to honor the Tzav 8.

It's a win-win.

The leadership of the elected government which these reservists scorn
recognizes their important contribution to the nation's security and our
enemies see we aren't suicidal.

Step #2: Revising the Reserve Law To Reflect The True Reserve Duty Special
Roles Require

We got into this mess in the first place because our law sets strict limits
on the total number of days someone can be called for reserve duty without
accounting for the special roles which require considerably more days of
service.

The law needs to be revised to provide for the Minister of Defense, via
regulations, to set for each special role the maximum number of reserve
service days allowed for that specific role. It's a two way street. We
invest many millions of shekels in the specialized training for those
carrying out special roles and no one is forced to participate in a track
with these special roles.

Step #3. From "People's Army" to "People's Elite"

The first screening stages for the Israel Air Force and other elite programs
should be transferred to the responsibility of an IDF "screening division"
which carries out the first rounds of the physical tests and psychometric
testing which determine who is to be invited to participate in the later
screening stages of the IAF and other elite programs.

Recruits make it through the first cuts on their merits - not their
connections.

Step #4 Reducing Use of Reserve Officers Where Possible.

Why do we have reserve duty volunteers as trainers for pilots instead of
making this a full time job?

Why does a reserve duty officer select the candidates for the elite forces?

We need to review the roles held by reserve officers which could be more
effectively filled by full time soldiers.

Conclusion: There is more than enough blame to share for how this Pandora's
Box got opened in the first place. But now that we face this challenge,
there is no reason we cannot make the most of it and ultimately come out of
this mess in better shape than we were in before this fiasco.

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Arab-Israeli relations

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