Latest news with #reservists
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Israel's mental health crisis: The war's hidden toll on mothers and soldiers
Rehabilitating the Israeli psyche. A national plan is urgently needed. The ongoing war has exposed a disturbing reality that can no longer be ignored: Israel is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis. The accumulating data paints a grim picture – a third of women report experiencing postpartum depression during the current war, alongside a sharp increase in PTSD cases among IDF soldiers. This was revealed in a recent study of 862 women in Israel. Simultaneously, research from Tel Aviv University indicates that approximately 12% of reserve soldiers report multiple PTSD symptoms – a dramatic rise compared to the 4%–6% observed during regular service, and more than double the 8% measured six months after discharge. These are not two separate crises but one national crisis that demands urgent, systemic attention. The connection between the distress of new mothers and that of soldiers is no coincidence. National trauma affects us all, but it especially harms vulnerable populations. The data is particularly alarming: 34% of women reported PTSD symptoms 62% suffer from war-related nightmares; 69% actively avoid war-related thoughts; 73% feel constantly on edge or easily startled; 40% feel disconnected from people and their surroundings; and 17% experience guilt related to the events of the war. Concurrently, reserve soldiers have been directly exposed to traumatic battlefield experiences. Common to both groups is a glaring lack of an adequate and tailored response from state systems. Now, it is buckling under the pressure. There is a shortage of mental health professionals, waiting times for treatment are increasing, and resources are scarce. The human cost of this neglect could be devastating – studies show that, without proper treatment, conditions like postpartum depression and PTSD can become chronic and may even affect future generations. What must the state do? First, it must recognize this as a national emergency requiring a comprehensive plan. Significant resources should be allocated to expand mental health services, with a focus on high-risk populations. More trauma care professionals must be recruited and trained, and dedicated treatment programs must be established. Second, barriers to treatment must be dismantled: reduce stigma, improve access, and ensure that treatment is free for those affected by the war. Responses must be tailored to the needs of different groups – for example, offering specialized treatment models for new mothers and for soldiers. Lastly, robust community support systems must be developed to serve as a safety net for those in need. Evidence shows that social support is a key protective factor in coping with trauma. The war will end someday, but its emotional scars may last for years. Investing in the mental health of our population is not a luxury – it is a strategic necessity for the resilience and future of Israeli society. The writer is chair of the Board of Directors at Benafshenu – The Israeli Center for Mental Health & Social Support, founded by Amcha. Sign up for the Health & Wellness newsletter >>
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
As Palestinians starve an hour's drive away in Gaza, here in Israel, everyone went to the beach
June is here. Summer has arrived. And the beaches in Tel Aviv are full. Just an hour's drive away, two million Palestinians are on the brink of starvation. The incongruity of those few words and the bizarre contrast of imagery – the busy beach in Tel Aviv, the dystopia in Gaza – are hard to digest, I imagine, for many in Ireland. They are perhaps shocking, incomprehensible, and sickening even. This, however, is the reality of life, and of course death, here in Israel and nearby Gaza. Writing those words does not come with judgment. I am simply observing. I also went to the beach in Tel Aviv last weekend. My photograph accompanies the digital version of this article. I recently returned from a 10-day holiday in Spain with my two young daughters. As we descended into Ben Gurion airport, I was struck by the casual announcement of the El Al air stewardess when she politely requested passengers to donate to the spare change program to support children in need in Israel. I wondered if, when hearing those words, 'children in need in Israel', any of my fellow passengers thought for a moment about the estimated 18,000 Palestinian children dead in Gaza and the hundreds of thousands more on the brink of famine. Israelis find themselves now living between two realities. There is the dystopian reality of Gaza next door, and then there is life in Israel, which has returned to relative normality. Yes, some 23 living hostages remain in Gaza, tens of thousands of reservists have been called up, and every week there are sirens because of incoming missiles from Yemen. But the restaurants are full. Schools are open. Each morning you wake up to make your kids' lunch. The skyline of Tel Aviv is dotted with hundreds of cranes. So how do ordinary Israelis grapple with the dichotomy of a largely known reality of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and everyday, often banal life in Israel? A recent opinion piece I wrote in these pages and which I shared on social media – about how the mainstream Israeli media continues to ignore the reality of the truths in Gaza – provoked a critical reaction from some Israeli friends. The conversations I have had over the past week or two largely replicated those I have had with Israelis over the past 18 months of war. READ MORE These difficult conversations illustrate how Israelis justify or internalise the reality of the unfolding horror in Gaza next door to them; how many (not all) refuse to look, or choose not to accept the truths of that horror. There is a clear pattern. At first there's denial, then dismissal and finally, if the discussion continues, disqualification. Denial is essentially an attempt at 'whataboutery' type deflection. There are invariably a few core talking points, each with a kernel of truth. Each is used, I believe, if not to justify Israeli actions in Gaza, but certainly to assuage the conscience of those who voice them. (If there is a risk of sweeping generalisation here, it is a risk I believe is worth taking.) 'There are no innocents in Gaza.' This is repeated ad nauseam. In the context of the deaths of thousands of children, it is particularly egregious to hear. 'Hamas was elected.' Yes, it was. It topped the vote back in 2006 – almost 20 years ago. Opinion polls do, however, continue to show some popular support for Hamas in Gaza. 'Hamas uses civilians as human shields.' This is undeniable. The reality that, in a highly dense urban environment like Gaza, Israeli air strikes will inevitably result in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians, is often disturbingly shrugged off. [ Seeing Israel use hunger as a weapon of war is monstrous to me as someone with a Holocaust legacy Opens in new window ] 'Hamas brought this upon themselves.' At its crudest, this is the schoolyard retort, the contemporary 'they started it'. Everything apparently began with the savagery of the terrorist attack on the morning of Oct 7th, 2023, when 1,200 Israelis were murdered in a few short hours. The brutality of 50-plus years of occupation is ignored. The second stage is dismissal. Dismissal essentially questions the motives of the person who challenges the Israeli consensus. I have been accused of being 'woke', 'virtue signalling' and a lot worse. In the dismissal stage, the attention switches from a denial of the facts to a focus on the tone or language of the conversation at hand. This is often used to bring admittedly heated conversations to an abrupt end. If the conversation continues, the final and third stage is disqualification. This is the othering phase. You lack the essential rights to criticise. You are delegitimised as not 'Israeli enough', unable to grasp the weight and struggles of Jewish history. The undeniable exponential rise in global anti-Semitism raises its head here. Deflection, dismissal and disqualification can at times follow each other in a matter of very short minutes. I have come to understand that the Israelis who cling to them do so as a personal coping mechanism. To acknowledge or accept that the state they hold so dear, a refuge from the Holocaust, is capable of genocide, of war crimes, of imposing starvation on two million people is emotionally crushing. This is not about media censorship, but self-deception. The truth is simply too difficult to bear. So, a heartfelt message to my fellow Israelis. Outspoken opposition to Binyamin Netanyahu is not enough. Publicly calling for an end to the war is insufficient. It is not necessary to embrace the labels 'war crimes', 'genocide' or 'ethnic cleansing'. It is necessary to recognise the reality of the horror unleashed by the Israeli state on Gaza, to acknowledge the depths and scale of the humanitarian catastrophe. I understand many of my fellow Israelis are psychologically and politically broken following the trauma of October 7th. But claims of deniability of what has happened and is happening in Gaza in our name will not be ignored. Indifference will not be forgiven. Silence will not be forgotten. Paul Kearns is an Irish-born freelance journalist based in Tel Aviv
CTV News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
German defence minister says draft could return if volunteer numbers fall short
Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) BERLIN — Germany may reinstate compulsory military service if a revamped volunteer system fails to meet recruitment goals, the defence minister said in comments published Saturday. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Boris Pistorius laid out a timeline for Germany's new military service model, which aims to bolster the understrength army. The initial program will rely on voluntary enlistment, but Pistorius warned that could change. 'If the time comes when we have more capacity available than voluntary registrations, then a decision may be made to make recruitment mandatory. That is the roadmap,' he said. He said the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz is moving quickly on a new military service bill and hopes it will come into force as early as January 2026. The debate over reinstating conscription in Germany has been intensifying as concerns rise about national defence readiness and evolving security threats in Europe. Germany suspended its draft in 2011, but has struggled to meet troop targets as defence demands grow following Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pistorius also said the military service plan would include efforts to reactivate more reservists. The Associated Press
ABC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The Israelis refusing to enlist in the war in Gaza
Amid the many strongly worded statements this week about Israel's escalation of its military operation in Gaza, if you listen hard enough, you might hear a quiet 'no'. That's the sound of Israelis refusing to turn out for their military reserve service. In Israel, they're known as refuseniks and they're growing in number every day. In recent months as many as 30,000 reservists have reportedly failed to show up for duty. Guest: Dr Ishai Menuchin, a leader in the Israeli refuser movement, Yesh Gvul ('There is a Limit')
Russia Today
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
NATO state considers subjecting older citizens to military service
The Finnish Defense Ministry has submitted a proposal to raise the maximum age for military reservists to 65, according to a press release published on Wednesday. The move is part of a broader militarization trend among European NATO member states. The proposed reform would apply to all citizens liable for being called up who were born in 1966 or later, potentially adding 125,000 personnel to Finland's reserve forces over a five-year transition period. If enacted, the total number of reservists is projected to reach one million by 2031, the Defense Ministry noted. Currently, rank-and-file soldiers are removed from the reserves at age 50, while officers exit at 60. The proposal would not apply retroactively to those already over 60. According to the ministry, refresher training for 50–65-year-olds would be organized for those assigned wartime duties. No upper age limit would be set for military service volunteers. The bill is expected to be submitted to the Finnish Parliament before its summer recess begins in late June. The EU countries, including Finland, have been militarizing amid persistent claims that Russia could attack the bloc in the coming years. Moscow has denied having such intentions and has accused NATO and EU officials of 'irresponsibly stoking fears' of a fabricated threat. Finland, which shares a long land border with Russia, applied for NATO membership in 2022 following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and formally joined the US-led military bloc in 2023. Since then, Helsinki has supported Kiev politically and militarily, with Finnish President Alexander Stubb backing its bids to join both NATO and the EU. In March, during US-mediated ceasefire negotiations, Stubb called on Kiev's Western backers to pump Ukraine with weapons and money 'to its teeth.' Helsinki exceeded NATO's spending target by shelling out approximately 2.41% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on the military last year. Finland also formalized an agreement with the US that allows American forces access to Finnish bases near the Russian border. Russia has lamented that Finland's NATO accession has effectively erased beneficial bilateral ties between the two neighbors which had lasted decades. Moscow has condemned the US-led military bloc's expansion towards its borders, viewing it as a threat to its national security. In March, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the EU had 'degraded into an openly militarized entity,' accusing the bloc of 'inciting war' through its rearmament strategies.
