From the Liveblog of
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Amid debate on delay of municipal elections, IDF says almost 4,000 reserve soldiers are candidates
Jeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The IDF says that there almost 4,000 reserve soldiers currently on duty who are candidates in the nationwide municipal elections scheduled for the end of January, against the background of a dispute within the government on whether to further postpone the elections in light of the ongoing war with Hamas and the difficulties this poses to reservists in voting and running for office.
According to a document provided by the IDF Chief of Staff’s Office, there are 3,983 reserve soldiers running in the municipal elections, with 115 in command roles. There are 70 reservists running for mayor.
The army says that those running for office will be released from service for the campaign “in accordance with operational necessities” and “the development of the war fronts,” although it notes that there are some candidates whom it will not be possible to release.
The document also says that a system should be created to allow soldiers to vote in the municipal elections “outside the borders of Israel,” since operational considerations and the safety of soldiers mean that it will not be possible to let them leave the Gaza Strip to vote.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, who has for weeks been calling to postpone the elections, says the figures demonstrate why postponement is the right step, and says he hopes the government adopts this position.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says “the people of Israel need all its soldiers in Gaza, without dealing with politics,” and says he will advocate in today’s cabinet meeting for postponing the elections.
Senior United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni announces just ahead of the cabinet meeting that he has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that UTJ also supports postponing the election.
Until now, the Likud party and National Unity have reportedly supported holding the elections as scheduled for January 30.
They were originally set for October 31, and were postponed due to the war.
