Israel’s Chief Rabbinate bans reserve soldiers from carrying weapons amid rising suicides

Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has issued a directive prohibiting reserve soldiers who have served in the Israeli army from carrying personal weapons, citing concerns over a growing number of suicides among troops.

According to Israeli media reports, the ban also extends to assigning discharged reservists to other combat units. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the decision is a temporary precaution aimed at allowing reservists time to rest and recover during what officials described as a “difficult and stressful period.” The army added that individual requests to carry weapons will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The move follows the release of alarming data from a Knesset Research and Information Center report showing a sharp increase in suicides among Israeli soldiers—particularly reservists—since the outbreak of the Gaza genocide in October 2023.

Between January 2024 and July 2025, the report documented 279 suicide attempts among soldiers, averaging seven attempts for every death. It also found that 21 per cent of suicides in recent years occurred among reservists, a figure that has raised serious concern among military and mental health officials.

The Rabbinate’s decision reflects growing anxiety within Israel’s security establishment over the psychological toll of prolonged conflict and repeated call-ups of reserve forces.

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