IDF
Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz issued draft orders for 16,000
reservists on Friday, as Operation Pillar of Defense entered its third
day. Most of the reservists serve in the IDF's Engineering Corps.
The
engineering corps would play a vital part in any ground operation into
the Gaza Strip, enabling armored vehicles to move across the border into
Gaza. The IDF operation to root out terror in the coastal territory has
consisted of air raids on terror targets thus far.
The Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee unanimously authorized on Thursday
Defense Minister Ehud Barak's request to enlist up to 30,000
reservists.
The IDF will issue "order nine," which is an irregular order in cases of emergency for reservists to immediately report to duty.
"The
residents of the south are in the real line of fire, and only their
strength will allow the IDF to meet its capabilities," Foreign Affairs
and Defense Committee chairman Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima) said. "Israel is
passing on a clear message to terrorist organizations in Gaza that
disrupting life in the South will not continue."
Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.
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