IDF reservists are growing frustrated with constantly pursuing Israelis who try to cross the Syrian border, particularly from the “HaBashan Pioneers” movement, multiple soldiers told Army Radio in a report published on Wednesday.
“It’s absurd that we’re stopping our lives for this,” one reserve soldier serving in the Syria sector said.
“We’re exhausted! I’m putting my life on hold; there are students here, people with families, kids at home, and instead of dealing with the important things, this is what we’re doing. It raises questions and doubts: what are we even doing here?” he asked.
The reservists serving in the Syria sector spent Tuesday night in another pursuit that they told Army Radio endangered their own safety and was an unnecessary use of resources.
“We found ourselves for several hours during the night in the Hermon, searching for them; they hid among trees and bushes in steep and dangerous spots. We chased them, climbed boulders; we’re putting ourselves at risk of injuries, falls, on very, very steep slopes,” one said.
“We’re wasting a ton of resources, time, and energy on this stuff. This isn’t our mission; the mission is to protect the sector and the settlements,” the soldiers told Army Radio.
Police fail to deter repeat offenses
Additionally, reservists describe the lack of support from other agencies. After the Tuesday night pursuit, soldiers were forced to look after the three Israelis at the outpost until they were retrieved.
Eventually, when the police still hadn’t shown up, the soldiers called the 100 emergency service hotline.
“We told them: Come get them, and that’s what happened. If we hadn’t called 100, no one would have come. Just a total game of passing the buck between all the agencies,” one reservist said.
Once the police do come, the reservists warn that those who cross the border are often not dealt with effectively and may come back a second or third time.
“The police aren’t doing their job properly, because if a guy gets arrested and released the same day, then comes back the next, we haven’t accomplished anything here. We tried explaining to them, you’re getting in the way of us doing our job. We’re dealing with you way too much,” the reservist said.
“Three years of reserves, and what am I busy with? Pulling Israeli civilians out of Syria?” they added.
