Hundreds of IDF reservists plan to move to border towns they once defended

Around 300 reservists have expressed an interest in moving to frontline communities in the North and South, reservist organization the Israeli Reservists – Generation of Victory said last week.

The organization, founded at the start of the Israel-Hamas War, has launched an initiative to encourage reservists to move to the same communities they defended.

This initiative is in cooperation with National Missions Minister Orit Strock and Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli.

The organization is organizing groups it anticipates will move to the Gaza border region, the Jordan Valley, the Galilee, and parts of the Negev, it said.

“I looked at the reservist soldiers around me on the battlefield – young people, full of values and Zionism – and thought to myself: Once we complete our mission in the war and restore security to the North, we will take on the next mission for Israel – strengthening the settlements in the north of the country and in the Gaza border communities,” said Israeli Reservists chairman Maj. (res.) Gilad Ach.

“It’s in our DNA [for] the population that has sacrificed for more than a year and served the public to invest in these crucial areas. The sense of unity we share will support us in this effort. Several groups have already approached us, expressing a desire to settle in these challenging areas,” he added.

According to Ach, “The path to ensuring victory isn’t by holding onto territories in Lebanon and Gaza only; it’s primarily through bolstering the existing settlements, which need the support of reservists now more than ever.”

Chikli, Strock comment on initiative 

Chikli commented on the initiative, saying that “in the Gaza border communities, the Lebanon region, the Galilee, and the Negev, pioneering and settlement efforts are what is needed now. To strengthen the areas impacted by the war and to prepare for future challenges, we need young people to take the initiative, establish roots, and build their homes in these regions.

“In recent months, we have seen many commendable initiatives by reservists seeking to establish settlement contingents. We are working to support these efforts by collaborating with all relevant parties, from government ministries to local council leaders and field organizations, to turn this vision into reality,” he added.

Strock, whose ministry includes a division that deals with settlement, also commented on the initiative, saying that she was committed to rebuilding, expanding, and enhancing the northern region and its surroundings.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the incredible reservists who continue to go from mission to mission and have chosen to join this vital national effort,” she said.