Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military, in what has been termed a drastic
step, has canceled reserve operations for 2013.

Officials said the order by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz came in
wake of what was termed deep cuts in the military budget over the next 18
months. The officials said combat reserve units would not be mobilized for the rest
of the year.

“We must hitch a shoulder in the national effort to close the budget
deficit,” Gantz said.

Officials said the cancellation of combat reserve duty was ordered in
wake of a government decision in May 2013 to cut the Defense Ministry budget by 1.5 billion shekel [$410 million] in 2013 and three billion shekel [$820 million] in 2014.

The officials said training would be reduced in both combat and non-combat units, including the Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, Engineering Corps and Home Front Command.

“Our top priority is to ensure the Israel Defense Force maintains its
operational capacity,” Gantz said on June 4.

Officials said the military’s priority would be to maintain full combat
readiness for the air force, infantry as well as some armored units. They
said the rest of the military would receive basic rather than advanced
training.”

In a briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on
June 3, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said exercises for reserve units as
well as standing forces would also be reduced. The minister acknowledged
that the cuts would challenge Israel’s defensive posture amid the threat
from Iran and Syria and Hamas.

“We are preparing for a highly challenging year in 2014,” Ya’alon said.
In all, at least 70 combat reserve battalions would not be mobilized in
2013. Four battalions already ordered for duty in June would be informed of
the cancellation.

“We are now facing a crisis,” Ya’alon said. “In order to make it through
2013-2014, we have to cut down reserve days, reduce
reserve training and combat operations, and as a result place a greater load
on standing army soldiers.”

Officials said the military would also seek to maintain major
procurement programs, particularly in the area of air combat and missile
defense, as part of a multi-year plan. About 20 percent of the military
budget comes from U.S. aid of $3.2 billion.

“In talks about the budget, it was clear to me that the security forces
have to shoulder their weight in dealing with the deficit, but this should
be done wisely, and with a multi-year program,” Ya’alon said.

  Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, Budget cuts shut down Israel’s combat reserves through end of 2013, Engineering Corps, Home Front Command, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Moshe Ya’alon