IDF chief says war underlined need to vastly expand number of combat troops

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the war has made it “unequivocally clear” that the military cannot scale down its ground forces.

“There is no substitute for a maneuvering division operating in enemy territory and bringing about decisive victory,” Zamir says during a ceremony marking the formation of the new 38th Division.

A “maneuvering division” refers to ground units that are trained to enter deep into enemy territory, as opposed to the military’s regional divisions tasked with defending Israel’s borders.

The 38th Division is composed of the Ground Forces’ training units, which would be activated in times of war as one combat formation.

“To operate in a multifront campaign, we will be required to significantly expand the ranks of the IDF’s male and female combat soldiers in order to create a strong army, sized appropriately to the threats and capable of achieving decisive outcomes,” Zamir says.

He says that “the past two years have proven that the reserve force was the backbone. It is our duty to expand the scope of the standing forces, to allow reservists breathing room and a return to routine life.”