Israel set to mobilize reservists in nine world capitals
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Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, July 26, 2001
TEL AVIV Ñ Israel's military has concluded plans to launch a massive
mobilization of reservists who live outside the country.
The military has opened centers in nine cities around the world where
there are large concentrations of Israelis. Military sources said the goal
is to quickly locate tens of thousands of Israelis who still perform reserve
duty and send them to the front in case of war.
The cities are Amsterdam, Bangkok, Bombay, Frankfurt, Johannesburg,
London, Los Angeles, Paris and New York.
Under the plan, Israel's national carrier, El Al, would fly the
reservists to Israel. The plan was approved earlier this year but announced
over the weekend.
Military sources said the plan would be implemented only if Israel is
swept into a regional war.
For their part, reservists have expressed increasing resentment over
their conditions in the military. On Monday, the military brass responded to
a threat by a reserve armored battalion to boycott the army unless members
are provided with an updated insurance policy.
The head of military manpower, Maj. Gen. Gil Regev, acknowledged what he
termed a "crisis of confidence" with reserve units.
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