Government to establish dedicated unit to support immigrant soldiers in the IDF

The government has approved a plan to establish a dedicated unit to support immigrants serving in the military, with a focus on lone soldiers serving without immediate family in the country, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry says.

The initiative, led by Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer, alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, will create a new unit within the Immigration and Absorption Ministry to provide assistance to immigrant soldiers before, during and after their military service.

The program will coordinate with the Israeli military and Defense Ministry to improve personal support, language accessibility and access to benefits and mental health services. It will also assist families living abroad by helping them navigate military and government systems during emergencies, including injuries or emotional crises involving soldiers.

An interministerial team will recommend additional measures to strengthen coordination among government agencies and the military, the ministry says. The program is intended to strengthen coordination between the army and immigration authorities, it notes.

“It is our duty to ensure that [immigrant soldiers] are not left alone,” Sofer says. This decision is intended to provide them with a single address, personal support and a tailored response that will help them integrate, exercise their rights, and feel at home in the State of Israel.”