# How Do Soldiers from Outside Israel Join Its Army?

With the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7th, the Israeli army summoned reserve soldiers, including those residing abroad permanently.

There are many Israelis who also hold foreign nationalities, especially in Europe and the United States, but there are no precise figures for these individuals. On November 30th, the Israeli embassy in London stated on its website: "According to Israeli security law, all Israeli citizens in Israel and abroad are required to enlist in the army, even if they hold dual nationality and reside permanently abroad." It added that "Israelis living abroad need to apply to determine their military status upon reaching the age of 16 and 4 months, and before reaching 19." The embassy requested Israelis wishing to enlist to contact the Israeli army representative in Europe via email. Military service is mandatory for both men and women in Israel at the age of 18, after which soldiers are classified into reserve units.

On October 16th, the Israeli newspaper "Globes" reported: "Israel has summoned hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers in response to Hamas attacks, including American Israelis living in the United States, who are returning to Israel on emergency flights."

## Foreigners Participating in the War on Gaza

The participation of foreign citizens holding Israeli nationality in the war on Gaza has sparked reactions in France and South Africa in recent days. French deputy Thomas Portier tweeted on Wednesday: "I have officially sent a letter to Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti, asking him to use his authority to open investigations regarding 4,000 French citizens present at the front in Gaza within the Israeli army." He added: "In the event of war crimes, I request that they (the French) be brought before French justice, and I will refer the matter to the prosecutor under Article 40." The deputy continued: "Regarding the war crimes committed by the Israeli army in Gaza and the West Bank alike, it is unacceptable for French citizens to participate in them." The Israeli and French governments did not comment on these statements made by the French deputy.

## South Africa Rejects Its Citizens' Involvement in the Israeli Army

South Africa has stated that its citizens serving in the Israeli army may face legal prosecution domestically, as President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the war waged by Israel on Gaza, terming it "genocide." The South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed that it is "extremely concerned" about reports indicating that some Israeli soldiers who are also South African citizens have joined the Israeli army to fight in Gaza or are considering doing so. The ministry added, "Such action could contribute to violations of international law and the commission of further international crimes, making them liable for prosecution in the country." The Ministry clarified that South African citizens need prior government approval to legally fight in Israel. It added that naturalized Israeli citizens risk losing their South African citizenship for participating in a war "not supported by or in line with the country."

## What About “Lone Soldiers”?

The Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" reported: "According to data from the Israeli army, in 2021, 2,507 new immigrants joined the Israeli army as lone soldiers, or soldiers who do not live with their families, including 59 from South Africa." It added, "This does not include all Israeli soldiers who hold dual nationality from South Africa." There is no Israeli law requiring individuals to renounce their Israeli citizenship upon acquiring another nationality, allowing citizens to hold dual and even multiple nationalities. Israel announced it had called up 360,000 reserve soldiers at the war's outset, without clarifying how many came from abroad.

Those joining the army include what are known as "lone soldiers," who volunteer to join the Israeli army without having families in Israel. The Lone Soldier Center states on its website: "A lone soldier is a soldier in the army who has no family in Israel supporting them: a new immigrant, a volunteer from abroad, an orphan, or a person from a broken home."

## How Many Lone Soldiers Are There?

The center adds that "there are over 7,000 lone soldiers currently serving in the Israeli army, about 45 percent of whom are new immigrants from Jewish communities around the world, and 50 percent are orphaned Israelis or those from low socio-economic backgrounds." The center noted that "some come from strict religious neighborhoods, who are shunned by their families and communities because they decided to join the army." It continued: "Most lone soldiers are placed in combat units, and they have a strong motivation to serve in the Israeli army, guarding Israel's borders by land, air, and sea." It emphasized that "for lone soldiers, financial support becomes a major issue." It stated, "The monthly salary for a lone soldier is double that of a regular soldier in their unit, but it is still often insufficient to cover bills, laundry, furniture, appliances, and food for the Sabbath."

The army supports rent up to 1,048 shekels per month (283 dollars), but this is not enough to establish a home in Israel. According to the center's website, 8 lone soldiers have been killed since the war on Gaza started on October 7th. According to Israeli statistics, Hamas captured around 239 individuals during its attack on southern Israel on October 7th, exchanging dozens of them during a humanitarian ceasefire that lasted 7 days until December 1st with Israel, which holds 7,800 Palestinians in its prisons, including children and women. Since October 7th, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which has left, as of Wednesday, 20,000 Palestinian dead and 52,600 injured, most of whom are children and women, as well as massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, according to authorities in the Gaza Strip and the United Nations.

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