IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. Photo: Cpl. Shay Wagner, IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

JNS.org – Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz said Monday that he is “deeply concerned about the readiness of the reserves at the present time, as well as in the foreseeable future.”

Gantz has warned that the budget cuts already imposed on the military, and the Israeli Finance Ministry’s refusal to approve additional funds, will spell a serious blow to reservists’ training and the IDF’s overall emergency readiness.

Speaking at a ceremony honoring outstanding reservists, Gantz said the IDF “has made the regular [forces’] training its top priority not because reservists are unnecessary or unimportant, but because of [budgetary] constraints,” Israel Hayom reported.

“We are dealing with an unprecedented and highly complex human resources challenge and it may have dramatic effects of the IDF,” he said.