The IDF released a letter on Wednesday stating that reservists do not need to reimburse the military for vacation vouchers they received, following fierce backlash on the matter and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s involvement.
The military’s retraction letter came after reports that text messages were sent throughout the country on Tuesday, informing many reservists who had used the government vouchers that they would need to return the money they had used.
This sparked widespread criticism from the reservists who received the message, which was shared throughout social media.
In response to the criticism, Smotrich wrote on Tuesday, “I say to the IDF clearly and unequivocally, every shekel taken from the reservists will be deducted from the defense budget. Every single shekel.”
While the letter retracting the request for reimbursement did not specifically mention the text messages that were sent, it emphasized that “no reservist will lose their entitlements due to changes or errors in calculation.”
“Even though reservists received the message, it is canceled; they won’t need to pay,” Smotrich’s spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
The military’s letter also stated, “The IDF recognizes the deep commitment of reservists and their families and values their dedication.”
“We apologize for any distress caused by lack of clarity, and any reservist who has not yet received the appropriate benefit will receive it in full,” the letter concluded.
2024 approved budget proposal
The vacation vouchers were part of the approved budget proposal that dated back to 2024.
The IDF’s letter addressed the 2024 budget proposal, saying that it had “updated the vacation eligibility calculation method for reservists, aiming to standardize the criteria and ensure that reservists and their families receive their full entitlements for both 2024 and 2025, in accordance with the government’s decision.”
The wartime budget approved in 2024 included NIS 9 billion to support IDF reservists and their families, as well as funding for the public mental health system, rehabilitating the Gaza border area, and support for the hi-tech and real estate sectors.
“The reservists will receive the money without delay. They are true heroes. They left their homes to defend our home,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said when the budget was proposed in 2024.
Smotrich, at the time, stated, “As a society and a state, we proudly put as a top priority those who left everything and went to defend our home; these are our reservists and their families.”
On Tuesday, Herzliya city council member Tommer Vinner recalled the approval of the budget back in 2024.
“I clearly remember how proud our ministers were of this vacation voucher,” Vinner wrote in an X/Twitter post.
He then slammed the messages that were sent to the reservists, comparing them to “parking in a blue-and-white (legal) zone, returning to your car, and discovering they not only repainted the curb red but also gave you a ticket.”