Wounded IDF Reservists Fight Military Ban on Combat Duty
A group of 117 IDF reservists with PTSD are battling a new military policy that automatically freezes their service, demanding individual assessments to return to combat.
While many parts of Israeli society develop ways to evade combat service, an internal battle is unfolding within the IDF that mirrors this phenomenon. A group of 117 reserve fighters and commanders, most of whom have served hundreds of days in reserves since October 7, are waging a legal and moral battle for their right to fight.
Administrative Barriers and PTSD Policy
Administrative walls closed in on them unexpectedly. A new IDF policy determined that recognizing them as PTSD sufferers with a disability rating of 30% or higher would result in the freezing of their service. The system stripped these heroes of their uniforms, which they viewed as the highest badge of honor.
To understand the depth of the trauma, one must listen to O., a tank commander severely wounded in Lebanon 20 years ago. After intensive rehabilitation, he returned to serve, accumulating around 400 reserve days during the current war alongside a full-time job in hightech and family life.
"I live a full life with PTSD," he said. Yet, on the eve of Memorial Day, he received an automated text message stating he could no longer continue his service simply because he fell under a presumed danger category.
Legal Battle and Rehabilitation
O. and his comrades refused to give up, turning to attorneys Ran Cohen Rochberger, Shlomi Tzipori, and Harel Weinberg, who filed a petition to the High Court of Justice pro bono. They argue that an automatic formula linking past wounds to current fitness teaches every wounded fighter one lesson: do not ask for help.
According to the petition, about 20 fighters chose to petition due to this policy stifling mental health treatment. One fought in Kfar Aza on October 7, evacuated wounded under fire, and returned to combat. Realizing that mental health recognition would remove him from his unit, he waived it entirely.
The petitioners demand that the military conduct individual and professional assessments rather than relying on blanket protocols. With the High Court of Justice reviewing the case, the outcome will determine whether these dedicated soldiers are allowed to return to their units.
