“We are trying to stand up, everywhere,” confide “tired” and “unpaid” women of Israeli reserve soldiers

While the conflict between Hamas and Israel began more than two months ago, more than 300,000 reservist soldiers came to reinforce the ranks of the Israeli army. Meanwhile, their wives are also mobilized at the rear.

Yohanan, Lévana’s husband, is stationed in northern Israel, on the border with Lebanon. Since October 7, she has been managing the children and the house alone. More than 300 000 reservist soldiers are mobilized for this war between Hamas and Israel which is taking place, Wednesday 27 December, on its 82nd day. And it will last longer “many months”, warns the chief of staff of the Israeli army, while France says “gravely concerned by the intensification and prolongation of the fighting in Gaza”.

However, at the rear, the situation becomes complex. If these mobilized reservist soldiers receive financial compensation for leaving their job, this is not the case for their spouses who find themselves alone at home with the children. This is therefore the case of Lévana, a Franco-Israeli who lives in Jerusalem. “We have five children between 3 and 12 years old, she explains. It turns everything upside down, because generally, my husband is there once or twice a week, in the afternoon, to be with the children. And in the morning, he’s the one who takes care of them, wakes them up and gets them dressed… So there, you have to do both jobs.”she regrets.

Lévana takes on her role as a mother, but also as a father, while continuing to work as a computer engineer, which takes up a lot of her time. She therefore switched to teleworking and says she counts on the help of those close to her: “My parents, the neighbors too, sometimes bring the children to me. We try to stand together, everywhere”.

“I am tired”

The young mother puts things into perspective. She did not lose her job or her salary, unlike Anaëlle, another Franco-Israeli who now takes care of her three children full time. “I am a speech therapist and I haven’t returned to work since October 7 because I can’t handle it all. As I am self-employed, that means we no longer have a salary. That’s 6 000 shekels less, so 1,500 euros less per month. I am tired”she admits.

“There, I wake up from a two-hour nap and I really need it. Yesterday, I didn’t take one and in the evening, I broke down.”

Annaëlle, whose husband is mobilized

at franceinfo

These soldiers’ wives who are breaking down are more and more numerous. They are 4 000 in the association which has just been launched by Sapir Bloser, a lawyer by training and herself the companion of a soldier. She appeals to the Israeli government: “We are asking for three things. The first is financial compensation. The second, job protection because unfortunately, some women have been placed on unpaid leave or dismissed. And the third, it is psychological assistance. The wives of reservists are an integral part of this military campaign”.

Faced with growing anger, the spokesperson for the Israeli army admitted on Monday 25 December the burden borne by these families. He assures that the government will work on a compensation system to support them.