IDF Manpower Chief Says 32-Month Service Extension Is Not Enough

IDF Manpower Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa said Friday that extending mandatory service to 32 months is an operational necessity but does not replace broader recruitment. In a letter to soldiers, he said the two added months would preserve professional training, stabilize units and provide minimal breathing room for conscripts and reservists. Bar Kalifa called for an effective enlistment law, an updated reserve-service law and a further necessary extension to support wider force-building. Affected soldiers will receive higher subsistence payments and discharge grants reflecting the longer service.