Reservists grow frustrated with chasing civilians over Syrian border, using up time, resources

Israeli Defense Forces reservists are voicing growing frustration over their repeated involvement in pursuing Israeli civilians who attempt to cross the border into Syria. Soldiers described the situation as "absurd," highlighting the personal sacrifices they make, including putting their lives and families on hold, to deal with these incidents.

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It's absurd that we're stopping our lives for this.

"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," one reserve soldier serving in the Syria sector told Army Radio. The soldiers emphasized that these pursuits often endanger their own safety, as seen during a recent night operation in the Hermon area where they searched for individuals hiding in dangerous terrain.

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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?

Beyond the personal toll, the reservists argue that these operations are an unnecessary drain on resources, time, and energy. "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," they stated. The soldiers feel their efforts are undermined by a perceived lack of effective action from other agencies, particularly the police.

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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.

Reservists reported instances where individuals apprehended were not dealt with adequately by the police, leading to repeat offenses. "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," one soldier explained. This situation has created a cycle of apprehension and release, leaving the reservists feeling their efforts are in vain and that they are caught in a "total game of passing the buck between all the agencies."

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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.