The new Chief of the General Staff, Major General Eyal Zamir, visits the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem’s Old City, March 5, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News – The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, issued a particularly grave warning on Sunday before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, stating that the Israeli reserve army risks “collapsing in on itself” if immediate reforms were not implemented.

During a closed-door meeting, Zamir warned of the workload that has, in his opinion, become unbearable for reservists who have been mobilized for many months on several fronts.

“The reserve army will collapse in on itself. There will be an unreasonable burden on the reservists. If nothing changes, the reservists will not be able to withstand this pressure in the years to come,” he told the attending members of parliament.

According to several media outlets, the IDF chief emphasized the urgency of swiftly adopting a series of legislative measures aimed at stabilizing the army’s personnel numbers.

Among the demands put forward are the adoption of a new law on reservists, the permanent extension of mandatory military service to three years, as well as a recruitment reform aimed at increasing the number of Israelis called up for service.

Zamir also reportedly stressed that the current situation would not allow the army to sustainably maintain its operational pace in the face of the multiple security threats facing Israel.

His statements come as the IDF continues simultaneous operations in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and on other regional fronts, greatly increasing the pressure on combat units and reserve forces.