Severe economic distress is also being felt in the IDF and threatening its social fabric, especially in the combat units. An investigation carried out by Ma’ariv among the infantry brigades shows that hundreds of soldiers suffer from severe difficulties, often causing them to drop out of combat service.

Examples are not hard to find. For instance, an extremely high-ranking commanding officer in the Paratroopers’ Brigade, who is in charge of thousand of soldiers, consciously breaks the law and every few weeks takes a large supply of food from IDF warehouses, loads it onto his car and distributes it at the homes of those of his soldiers who need assistance. “I know I am breaking the law,” he says, “but I have a good explanation-the soldiers’ distress.”

Another example is revealed in the letter written by the commander of the paratroopers’ training base, Lt. Col. Aharon Haliwa, which was sent several weeks ago to the Soldier’s Welfare Association and which reached Ma’ariv. In it, Lt. Col. Haliwa wrote: “Basic training is currently being held at the base for soldiers in combat support positions. In light of the increasing economic distress, a third of the soldiers in one of the companies cannot do their basic training for lack of sneakers. This is a company composed mainly of soldiers from disadvantaged backgrounds.” In this case, response was swift, and the soldiers in need received the sneakers from the Soldier’s Welfare Association.

In another case, a soldier from the Paratroopers’ Brigade complained of severe difficulties. His commanding officers came to his home and heard from his family that there was no food in the house, no money and nothing to live on. “We opened the refrigerator and were stunned. There was one can of corn inside. We asked the family, ‘What did you eat today?’ and they answered, ‘The can of corn.'”

Another combat soldier married, and his wife is pregnant. He told his commanding officers that he has no food and no possibility of buying a bed, and asked to leave. “It was a shock to see this combat soldier weeping,” said one of the commanders.

A senior source at the basic training camp said: “These are only a few of the dozens of cases of the severe economic distress that increases daily. The tough part is that soldiers are asking to leave their positions as combat soldiers in order to work close to home and help their families.”

Moreover, many parents are reported as having asked their children to leave combat service so they can work and bring money home. “Mothers call and ask us to let their sons go home. We cannot refuse these requests.”

Similar cases could also be found in Givati, Golani and the Nahal Brigade: soldiers who weep over their economic situation or request basic assistance such as food, clothing or a bed to sleep in. “I cannot fight when my parents don’t even have bread,” said a Givati soldier.

Senior IDF commanders said: “This phenomenon of economic distress of soldiers and their parents will blow up in the IDF’s face. It is a time bomb and will only get worse and as time goes by. The soldiers will stop fighting and care for their families, and this is extremely grave.”

This article ran in Maariv on October 2, 2002

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