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The Unsung Heroes Who Make Israeli Victory Possible

(Mosaic) Daniel Polisar - Anyone wanting to get a full picture of what has enabled Israel to carry out and sustain its attacks on Iran needs to look at the role of the reservists, the tens of thousands of fighters who contribute mightily to their country's defenses and show extraordinary dedication and sacrifice to an unparalleled degree. These are army veterans who completed their full service and then entered civilian life as students, members of the work force, spouses, and parents. They have provided the bulk of the combat troops largely responsible for Israel's successes during a multi-front war that has been going on for more than twenty months. Reserve brigades and reservists holding key positions in regular, conscript units played a crucial role in every stage of degrading Hamas in Gaza. Reservists did the lion's share of defending the northern border against Hizbullah until the IDF was ready to shift its resources to decapitate and defang that terror organization. They likewise played a crucial role in the ground operation against Hizbullah that helped force it into a humiliating ceasefire. The removal of the threat of parallel attacks by Hizbullah and Hamas, coupled with creating the conditions to enable Israeli pilots to fly safely over Syrian airspace en route to and from Iran, made Iran more vulnerable to Israeli attack, paving the way for the recent Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. The conflict with Iran has highlighted, yet again, the extraordinary sacrifice willingly undertaken by the combat reservists, who effectively are volunteers since there are no sanctions on those who choose not to report for duty. V., a freshman at Shalem College, is a company commander in the IDF's search-and-rescue unit. Since Oct. 7, she has been in the reserves for more than 270 days. When the IDF commenced its attacks on Iran, she and her entire company were called up for immediate service, although they had finished their previous round only two months earlier. 98% of her soldiers reported for duty. Although Israelis have a reputation for enjoying the good life and are highly sensitive to casualties among thier soldiers, when the going gets tough the citizens of the Jewish state are willing to pay a steep price to defend themselves against brutal enemies and protect their hard-earned freedom and sovereignty. The writer is co-founder and executive vice-president of Shalem College in Jerusalem.
2025-06-25 00:00:00
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